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2 1 YEARS OF SOCCER AT ITS BEST!
I URGE SUPPORTERS
TOGETREKINB
TINKIER-UES
ROUORUUm’
mHABE
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vodacom
^^uzwayo
•permit
Major
imu
I'M AT A CLUB
WHERESECOND
BESnSNOT
ENOUGH”
Bance, Nxumalo, Pieterse,
Sexwale a Vera Pauw
PAGE 58
What the
legends are
up to now
PAGE 50
HUHT \
‘7 HE YOUTH i
AREWEAK... I
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ARE OVERRATED''
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T owards the end of
Zola Doda’s feature on
Orlando Pirates’‘Class
of 95’ (see page 52-58),
Bernard Lushozi has
some strong words for the cur-
rent Pirates side.
He chides them for not
carrying their CAF form into
the Absa Premiership, and he
demands of them their best in
the CAF Confederation Cup:
“This generation should give
their best to win it,” he says.
Lushozi was a hard - some
would even say dirty - defender,
but he is a gentle soul off the
field, and for many years has
taught kids with special needs.
He knows what suffering is; and
he wiU have little sympathy for
‘softies’ who do not know how
to stand up and fight.
“The present team have a
chance of winning, but there
are certain things the coaching
staff must tell these players.
They can’t play well in Africa
and then come back and lose
matches in the PSL,”he says on
page 58.
Today’s Buccaneers are to be
applauded for going as far as
they have in the Confederation
Cup, but they owe it to their
club, their chairman and their
supporters, to win it. For Pirates
above aU other South African
clubs, have consistently treated
CAF competition with respect
and done their utmost to
achieve continental success.
Make no mistake; the job will
be difficult.
Etoile du Sahel are perhaps
not the side Asec Mimosa
were in 1995, but they are no
pushovers. Any team that beats
Zamalek in a semi-final needs
to be treated with respect.
Nine-times champions of
Tunisia, they also hold a very
special record: the Red Devils of
Sousse are the only club to have
won ALL of CAF’s major club
competitions: the Champions
League (in 2007), the Confed-
eration Cup (2006), the Cup
Winners’ Cup (1997, 2003), the
CAF Cup (1995, 1999) and the
Super Cup (1998, 2008).
They also boast the Confed-
eration Cup’s leading scorer this
year, a buUdozing striker called
Baghdad Bounedjah.
Pirates will need aU their
undoubted ability and the
attacking verve they showed
in beating Kaizer Chiefs in the
Premiership recently; all the
guts that Lushozi calls for; and
yes, some of the luck of Abidjan.
If that aU comes together,
then the Buccaneers can once
more reign supreme.
It so very nearly did not come
together for them 20 years ago.
As Doda writes on page 56,
Helrnan Mkhalele scored a
glorious opener in the first leg
of the Champions Cup Final
at Soccer City, combining with
Jerry Sikhosana before curling
the ball inside the far post. But
Asec fought back and the Bucs
lost their heads. Two defensive
errors, two goals conceded.
Then captain Innocent
Mncwango was sent off for a
stamp. Not yet half-time and
Pirates were down to 10 men
and staring defeat in the face.
The indomitahle Gavin
Lane dragged them back into
the tie with a 42nd minute
headed equaliser and they
almost snatched a late win-
ner when Marc Batchelor
missed from close range at full
stretch.
But at 2-2, Pirates were
written off before the second
leg.
What followed was the
legendary ‘miracle of Abidjan’,
a story told and retold, of 1 1
men who faced down 27 shots
at their goal, and held out to
score the winner with one of
only two chances.
May history to repeat
itself. . .
Richard Maguire
Editor
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DECEMBER 2015 KICK'TF 3
DUlFDUTOIT/GALLOIMAGESd)
► '* <tr. '
- 1 .
^ -
ivK "■••/. .-
1 ^ '
4 KICK-YF DECEMBER 2015
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CONTENTS I December 201 5
8 Thabo Matlaba
The Pirates stand-in captain is confident of African
success
14BonganiZungu
The Sundowns midfielder relishes his new role
20 In the Clubhouse
'Shabba' sets new Soweto Derby record
22 On the Ball
Sexwale guns for top Fifa post ... Under-23s lacking
experience ... RIP Cecil Lolo
34 Prince Nxumalo
Determined to return to action after his epileptic scare
36 Reyaad Pieterse
Will the talented goalkeeper remain at Chiefs?
38 Bongani Khumalo
Back at SuperSport after 'Living the Dream' in Europe
40 Poster Power
Pirates' Alpha and Omega, and Brilliant Khuzwayo
46 Aristide Bance
The journeyman says Port Elizabeth is like Europe
48 Gavin Hunt
The Bidvest Wits coach pulls no punches
52 20 years on - Pirates' greatest victory
What was behind the success of the Buccaneers'
African Champions Cup side?
60 'Vat Alles' remembered
Chiefs' amazing silverware chase in 2001
64 Vera Pauw
The Dutch coach is chasing the Olympic dream
68 Fashion
KICK OFF casts an eye over the latest fashions
70 Rands and scents
Treat yourself to some exclusive fragrances
72 Stuff we like
We review the latest eyewear, music and books
74 Stars in cars
Brent Carelse tries out the new Chevrolet Trailblazer
76 Readers write
Your views on the game's biggest talking points
79 Beat the player
Test your knowledge against the stars
80 Laugh Out Loud
The crazy world of footballers and fans
82 Secret Footballer
Pick your teammates carefully!
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DECEMBER 2015 KICK'YF 5
#M R Pf eel s I i kesu m mer
(Q^mrp
Shop online at mm.com
MP164584/E1_RT
BY ERNEST FAKUDE ^
As Orlando Pirates
prepare for the CAP
Confederation Cup
Final, wingback
THABO MATLABA
finds himself
elevated to captain.
A stand-in captain
lifted the CAF
Champions Cup for
the Buccaneers in
1995 - can history
repeat itself?
KICK OFF: Eric Tinkler has taken a lot
of the flak from fans following Pirates'
slow start to the season. But what has
he done for the team since he took over
from Vladimir Vermezovic, and what is
the general view of Tinkler amongst the
players?
THABO MATLABA: Tinkler has given
players freedom to express themselves
on the field. He is approachable, which
makes everyone comfortable to work
with him and he has given all the players
a chance to play, which has created a
happy environment in the team. There
are no favours and we are all equal - if
you do well at training, at least there
is hope that you will play. The coach
has also instilled a winning mentality.
Tinkler hates losing and this has rubbed
off on the players. He is also a great
motivator. Even if we lose, he keeps
encouraging and motivating us to do
well in the next game. To be honest, he is
a player’s coach. He has played football
at the highest level and has experience of
communicating with players.
What message can you send to the
Pirates supporters that have been vocal
against Tinkler after the poor start?
The supporters must stop losing
patience. Sometimes as players we must
take the blame. It is unfair to blame the
coach when we lose and give credit to
players when we win. It is wrong! We
are a team. When we lose, we lose as
a team and when we win, we win as a
team. I want to urge the supporters to
rally behind the coach, the players and
the whole team. They must give Tinkler a
chance because he is a good coach.
You've struggled this season, and we
haven't seen those piledriver shots we
saw in the past ... do you feel injuries
have played a major part?
Even though my performance has
improved in the past few games, I still
have not yet reached my best form.
The injuries played a part, but also I
have not been training the way I used
to because the games are coming thick
and fast. I normally train twice a day
- with the team and on my own. But
because we are now playing games
Wednesdays and Saturdays, it has
become impossible to train twice a
day; I would be killing my body.
You always look good when
going forward, and you have the
pace to track back, but what
about that final pass that is
inconsistent?
We have had a chat with
the coach about that, and ^
Kicmm 9
On the overlap
how to improve. I am working hard on it
at training to improve the accuracy, pace
and shape of my crosses, and there’s an
improvement. I really want to turn it into
a strong aspect of my game.
Which would you say is the strongest
aspect of your game - attacking or
defending?
Attacking! I enjoy going forward more
than defending. However, since I play
as defender, it is important to carry
both duties. I enjoy attacking from the
back because there is a lot of space in
front of me and enough space to make
runs on the flank.
You struggle as a right-back, yet you can
play with both feet?
My biggest problem is that I struggle
with balance. If I have to play as right-
back, I must have at least a week to
prepare mentally.
You are making the starting line-up
ahead of another equally good left-
back, Patrick Phungwayo. How is the
competition between you, and your
relationship with him?
You wouldn’t even think we are playing
for the same position if you saw us
together. It has been good - we are more
like brothers. We talk about football, we
talk about things outside football. When
he has something happening at home, I
go to support him. He also does the same
for me. We are like a family at Pirates,
and players are united. We support each
other irrespective of who is playing.
You were recently handed the captain's
armband in the absence of Happy Jele
and Oupa Manyisa, who were both out
due to injuries. Do you harbour hopes
of becoming the permanent captain at
Pirates in the future?
To be honest, that’s not on my mind.
In fact. Happy Jele has just renewed
his contract with Pirates and so has
Oupa Manyisa. Lucky Lekgwathi is still
around and training with the team.
Both Jele and Manyisa are still going to
be here for a long time, so it is not even
on my mind to be captain one day.
It has been a year since Senzo Meyiwa
passed away. Is this still on the minds of
the players?
Yes, we still miss him very much. We
still talk about him in the team. He used
to call me ‘Skhulu’ and now the players ^
I am working hard to improve the accuracy, ■■
m I pace and shape of my crosses. w W
Thabo Matlaba likes nothing more than to bomb
down the wing, cut inside and have a pop at
goai. We list other like-minded wing-backs.
• Dani Alves - probably the most attack-minded
right-back in world football, the Barcelona and Brazil
defender wastes no time crossing the halfway line.
• Pablo Zabaleta - the Argentine is out of favour at
the moment, but has been a key man in Manchester
City's attacking play in recent years.
• Serge Aurier - PSG's beast of a wing-back is among
the best of Ivory Coast's new generation.
• Cafu and Roberto Carlos - Brazil's awesome
overlappers of a decade past (in fact, think of almost
all Brazilian 'full-backs' from Carlos Alberto of 1 970,
Branco of 86-94, Maicon of 2010 to Marcello today).
• South Africa has had its fair share of marauding
wing-backs, none more exciting than two stars of
the 1990s: Sam'Ewie'Kambule of Sundowns and
David 'Going Up' Nyathi who was part of Bafana
Bafana's 1996 Nations Cup-winning squad. Other
exciting wing-backs were Edward Motale, Lovers
Mohlalaand Bradley Carnell.
On target - Matlaba celebrates
scoring a cracker for Bafana Bafana
against Centrai African Republic
10 KlCWilf DECEMBER 2015
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Styles and colours may vary. While stocks last. www.ideals.co.ZQ ^ 086 1433 257
all call me ‘Skhulu’ - especially Rooi
Mahamutsa. We all know that Senzo was
more than just a player at Pirates. We all
know the contribution he made to this
club. We will forever miss him.
There were rumours of you going to
Mamelodi Sundowns and that you waited
too long to sign a new contract with
Pirates?
Yes it’s true - Sundowns wanted me.
They were putting pressure on me. But
as a player there are things you need
to consider before you make that sort
of decision. It took almost a month
negotiating with Pirates - you know
how negotiations can take time. They
make an offer, you make a counter-
offer ... it takes time to agree on the
figures. I am happy that at the end we
reached common ground with Pirates. I
can almost say the club gave me what I
wanted.
Pirates have been playing well in Africa,
but have struggled with domestic
football. Can you explain why?
There are many factors. Other teams
always iU-treat us when we play with
^Full name:Thabo Matlaba ^Born: 13/12/87
inTembisa ^Previous teams: Leicester City
(amateur), Mighty Tigers (Third Division), M Tigers
(Second Division), Free State Stars ►PSL debut:
Free State Stars 0 Santos FC 0 (28/8/10) ►First PSL goal:
Free State Stars 2 Mamelodi Sundowns 1 (19/2/11) ►Pirates
debut: Orlando Pirates 1 Maritzburg United 0 (26/2/12)
► First Pirates goal: Bloemfontein Celtics Orlando Pirates
3 (4/1 1/1 2, Telkom Knockout) ►International debut:
Tanzania 0 South Africa 1 (14/5/1 1, Friendly, as a sub) ►Full
International debut: South Africa 3 Malawi 1 (22/12/12,
Friendly) ►First international goal: South Africa 2 Central
Africa Republic 0 (23/3/1 3, World Cup qualifier) ►Honours: 23
international caps (1 goal); 201 1/12 Absa Premiership winner;
2013/14 Nedbank Cup winner
Career history:
SEASON
CLUB
MATCHES
GOALS
10/11
Free State Stars
31
3
11/12
Free State Stars
5 (+1 sub)
0
Orlando Pirates
15
0
12/13
Orlando Pirates
30
2
13/14
Orlando Pirates
43 ( +2 sub)
4
14/15
Orlando Pirates
26 (+1 sub)
2
15/16
Orlando Pirates
9
0
TOTALS
159
11
Correct as at 12/1 1/15. League and cup matches only.
Charity games and friendlies not included.
them in Africa, from the airport to the
stadium! This then pushes us and inspires
us to go all out to fight against them
on the field. I must say, in South Africa
we still have‘Uhuntu’.We always treat
them well when they come play here.
There is also less pressure from our own
supporters when we play away. We are not
afraid to make mistakes. The experience
that we gained during the Champions
League in 2013 has helped us a lot. It
built our mental strength. Yes, it’s true
we did not start very well in the domestic
season, and I believe this was one of worst
starts in the history of Pirates. We needed
that win against Kaizer Chiefs [in the
League] to turn things around. The win
against Chiefs has done a lot in terms of
boosting our confidence.
What have you gained playing in CAF
competition?
Mental strength! If you are not fit
mentally, you won’t survive in Africa. I
said it earlier about the treatment you
get from the teams we play against.
That hostile environment has helped
us develop strong character. It has also
brought unity in the team. We are more
unified: you can see when we do the
battle in Africa, we are more united both
on and off the field.
CHAMPIONS/S
LEAGUE BODY CARE RANGE
Mamelodi Sundowns' Bongani Zungu is becoming more
comfortable in his new midfield role - and reaping the rewards
BYZOLADODA
14 KICK'TF DECEMBER 2015
visit www.kickoff.com
urr;
Duiiyctiii, iL iictd uccii a yicctt
start to the season for you, and there is
already talk that you might move overseas
as early as next year.
BONGANI ZUNGU: Ja, thanks man. This
season has been really good. When I joined
Sundowns I was playing as an offensive
midfielder and the coach [Pitso Mosimane]
converted me to a holding midfielder. Last
season I was finding my feet in my new
position and it’s only now that Fm reaping
the rewards. I’ve been doing weU and
handhng this position weU and learning a
few things. I’m also taking that form and
experience to Bafana Bafana, which is a
great thing. So things are good so far, but
it could be better.
What are the fundamental differences
between the two positions?
As a holding midfielder you play more
under pressure and sometimes you collect
LllC JJcUl dL UlC JJCLWCCll UlC
Technically and tactically I’m very sound
- that I know - but my biggest weakness is
that I’m not the quickest player. You run a
lot in that position.
But your game is maturing, we saw that
when Bafana Bafana played Costa Rica ...
It’s all about being calm and relaxed. I
would say that is my strong point as a
person, especially on the field. I don’t
get intimidated regardless of which op-
ponents we play against. Against Costa
Rica, we were playing against a good
team and we just wanted to get hold of
the ball - we did and controlled it. From
the hotel to the stadium I was at ease,
even during the warm-up. During the
match things were going well and my
touches were good.
Describe your combination with Thulani
Serero and Andile Jali. ^
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DECEMBER 2015 KICK'TF 15
We speak a lot and emphasise that when
one of us gets the bah we need to create
passing hues; Andile andThulani have
more experience and they understand
things better. Every time I get the bah,
Andile is the hrst person I look for and
start the move by passing to him - 1 always
bring him into the game because he makes
things happen and he does the same when
he gets the bah.Thulani is a very good
player, especiahy between the opponent’s
defence and midheld. You can pass him the
bah anytime; he is always in threatening
positions. Even when we lose the bah we
are quick to regroup because our under-
standing is great.
What is stopping Bafana from playing
football the way you did against Costa
Rica?
I think the difference when you play
against developed countries is that you
don’t have hotel problems or off-the-held
problems, and that helps you focus on the
match. I’m not making excuses about how
we play in Africa - in developed countries
you hnd good grounds and everything is
good and that has a very good impact on
the game. But we are starting to gel and
we have a lot of experience from the trip to
central America.
At club level you have already been
suspended twice this season. What is the
reason for that?
I think one of my weaknesses - and some-
thing I need to improve - is to stop throw-
ing myself into tackles. I do that thinking
I wiU win every ball and I need to be
smarter than that. Against Golden Arrows
I was disappointed to get a red card after
two yeUow cards - for the second yeUow
card I was late into a tackle.
In the past two seasons. Sundowns won
the League and the Nedbank Cup. What is
the priority this season?
Our target is to win every game. We had
already lost in the MTN8; we are doing
well in the Telkom Knockout and we
need to win the Nedbank Cup and the
League. There is also a matter of the
CAF Champ-ions League ... I’m at a
club where second best is not enough. We
have to go all out for everything.
So your targets are on track?
I would say so. We have new players who
are trying to fit into the system. They’ve
been working hard to understand how
we play and operate and so far we’ve
been good. At Sundowns we have to win
every match; there is no excuse and even
when we draw you can see players are
not happy. Pressure is there from sup-
porters and from the team because you
have to perform
otherwise there is another player ready
to take your place. Opponents are also
motivated, but we tell ourselves that tal-
ent alone is not enough.
In the past two seasons it was always
about Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs but
now Bidvest Wits are a threat. How does
that make you feel?
It’s good because football is about com-
peting and when you walk over oppo-
nents, you don’t improve. So it’s good to
have teams like Wits because they have
quality players and it’s good to have
more than three teams challenging for
the League. It’s good for South African
football as well.
There were talks that you were linked
with Vitoria de Guimaraes in Portugal.
How close are you from moving?
Yes, I want to play overseas. That is on
my mind and I’m clear about that. Every
day I see myself being one of the best
overseas and my mind is set on going to
Europe.
The deal almost happened in the last
transfer window, but fell through...
It’s true, they’ve been interested since
March and they put in an offer. But I’m
still contracted to Sundowns so that
is not my call. They made an offer to
Sundowns and their boss came here to
meet Patrice [Motsepe], they spoke and
I don’t know what happened after that.
But they are patient and looking to bring
me on board. Until then, my focus is on
Sundowns and to help the team win the
title.
Where would you like to play in Europe?
I want to play in the Champions League
against the best players. I dream about
playing against Real Madrid, Bayern
Munich and Manchester United. And if
there is one country I would love to play
in, it has to be Spain. The Spanish play
football on the ground; they are patient
and don’t panic. They don’t change how
they play football.
Why do you think there are so few South
African players overseas?
Sometimes it’s a personal choice from
players, sometimes it’s management,
sometimes players get good deals locally ^
I throw myself into tackles thinking I will win ■■
II every ball and I need to be smarter than that WW
16 KICK'TF DECEMBER 2015
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WARRANTY &
SERVICE PLAN
THE /MPOSS/BLE MAOE POSS/BLE.
mazda.co.za ^
MUZI NT0MBELA/BACKPAGEPIX(1)/ANESH DEBIKY/6ALL0 IMAGES(1)/SYDNEY MAHLANGU/BACKPAGEPIXd)
and won’t move. There is no single reason
- sometimes players have quality but don’t
get offers.
Looking at your career, are you happy
with what you have achieved so far?
I’m happy because I have just turned 23.
I have very good people around me that I
talk to - family, friends and my girlfriend
- and they are advising me about life.
People think being a footballer is easy;
you go to training from 9am until
lunchtime; play a match and get paid lots
of money. What do you think is the most
difficult aspect of being a footballer?
The biggest challenge is what happens
or what you do between lunchtime and
the time when you go to bed. That is the
downfall for lots of players. You have
money, a car and a house - so what you
do in this period is key. If a player can
learn how to organise their lives during
this time, things will be better.
What is the best thing to do in this time?
There are players that study, some spend
time with families and some do business
on the side. But the key thing is to have
something to do during this time. Just be
a good boy.
What has been your most memorable
match for Sundowns so far?
Wow. I’ve played a lot of memorable
matches. In my first season I played
against University of Pretoria and it was
very emotional because I joined from
them. Last season we played against
Chiefs and I played a great match.
Who has been your most difficult
opponent?
Oupa Manyisa. He is very tricky, some-
times he is here and the next minute
there. You think about following him ...
eish . . . next minute he pops up some-
where else. He is such a tricky player.
Then there is Reneilwe Letsholonyane who
is a tough player, but we are aU friends off
© ►Full name: Bongani Zungu ►Born 9/10/92
in Duduza ►Source: Inter Milan FC ►Previous
clubs: Dixieland Stars ►PSL debut: University
of Pretoria 0 SuperSport United 0 (as a sub, 1/9/12)
► Full debut: Moroka Swallows 2 University of
Pretoria 3 (14/9/12) ►First PSL goal: University of Pretoria 1
Orlando Pirates 3 (7/10/12) ►International debut: South Africa
2 Burkina Faso 0 (Friendly, 17/8/13) ►First international goal:
Swaziland 0 South Africa 3 (Friendly, 15/11/13) ►Honours: 18
international caps (3 goals); 2013/14 PSL champion; 14/15 Nedbank
Cup winner
Career record
SEASON CLUB
11/12 Dynamos (Divl)
12/13 Univ Pretoria
13/14 Mamelodi Sundowns
14/15 Mamelodi Sundowns
15/16 Mamelodi Sundowns
TOTALS
MATCHES GOALS
no records available
20 (+7 subs) 7
22 (+4 subs) 1
25 (+8 subs) 0
9 2
76 10
Correct as at 13/11/2015. League and cup games only. Friendlies and
charity matches not included.
the field. Every time I see Oupa, I always
greet him and say, ‘How are you groot-
man?’. We talk about football and life in
general.
At Sundowns, who do you speak to if you
want advice about something?
There are lots of amazing guys - there
is Ramahlwe Mphahlele, who is a good
friend, and Surprise Moriri. I talk to
them about personal things and they are
never judgmental. They advise me and
give me peace of mind.
What are you planning to do during
these December holidays?
To be honest with you I haven’t planned
anything. I’m not someone who goes on
vacation, I don’t go overseas for holidays
- I’m not like that, even my girlfriend
can tell you. People don’t really know
much about me and that’s because I
don’t share a lot of my personal issues.
I’m very reserved as a person, and people
judge based on what they see - and
sometimes they are wrong.
What message do you have for Sundowns
supporters?
Well, they are wonderful fans and always
supportive, they must keep on sup-
porting us. For me whatever happens,
whether I stay or not, they will always be
my family. M
18 KlCWilf DECEMBER 2015
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LEFTY SHIVAMBU/6ALL0 IMAGES(1)/LEFTYSHIVAMBU/GALL0 IMAGES(l)
(M CLUBHOUSE I Behind the scenes in the big-time
DERBY KING
KAIZER Chiefs captain Siphiwe
Tshabalala took his already
legendary status to new heights
in his team’s Telkom Knockout
semi-fmal victory over Orlando
Pirates by becorning the first
player to make 25 appearances
in the Soweto Derby in the
modem day PSL.
Even more remarkable is
that ‘Shabba’ reached this mile-
stone without having missed a
single Derby since making his
debut in the 2-2 draw played in
Durban on 24 November 2007.
In total, the midfield maestro
has made 24 starts and one
substitute appearance in Derby
fixtures - his only sub coming
in last year’s MTN8 Final.
Shabba has been on the win-
ning side for Chiefs eight times,
drawn 10 and lost seven, and
he’s scored four goals in the
historic fixture. No longer just
the name most people remem-
ber from the 2010 Fifa World
Cup, Shabba has now created
another benchmark in South
African football history.
Behmd Shabba is Orlando
Pirates’ veteran defender Lucky
Lekgwathi on 22 Derby appear-
ances, but he is unfikely to add
to his tally given that he has not
played any football for the past
18 months.
The 39-year-old has been
with Pirates siace 2002 with his
Derby appearances scattered
over a longer period, while he
has also missed a number of
Derbies along the way.
Tshabalala also remaias the
most capped active player for
Bafana Bafana with 88 appear-
ances. He is second overall on
this list, behmd retired defender
Aaron Mokoena on 107 caps.
ByLovemoreMoyo
INTRODUCING ^ Frederic Nsabiyumva (Jomo Cosmos)
Ezenkhosi's skipper enjoying life in the PSL
PREMIERSHIP returnees Jomo
Cosmos have conceded the
fewest goals of all dubs just
past the quarter-mark of the
current League campaign.
Much of their defensive
strength can be attributed to
Burundian defender Frederic
Nsabiyumva, who has also
been captaining the side.
"The PSL has been tough,
yet smooth and enjoyable
compared to the NFD where I
played when I first arrived in
South Africa last year," Nsabi-
yumva says.
"The NFD was all about
running, with less thought
given to tactics. The PSL is
more about tactical discipline,
patient build-ups and punish-
ing opponents when they make
mistakes, which helps you
improve."
Nsabiyumva was initially
spotted by Jomo Sono at the
2013 Cecafa Cup and then evalu-
ated further at the 2014 Chan
finals. He joined Cosmos towards
the end of the 2013/14 season,
featuring in five matches.
"I never came for trials. 'Bra
J' was happy with what he had
seen of me in the national team
and made me an offer which I
accepted, although my debut was
delayed as I had to wait for my
work permit," Nsabiyumva says.
"Initially it was difficult join-
ing a team in the second tier
when I had been playing in the
top league back home. Luck-
ily, the football is good and the
teams pay better, plus with my
mentality I can cope with any
conditions," he adds.
Prior to that, the 20-year-old
played for Athletico Olympic and
Vital'O FC in Burundi, and had
already been for trials at Moroka
Swallows and SuperSport United
in 2012, before eventually join-
ing Cosmos.
Now settled with the PSL
newcomers, Nsabiyumva wants
to ensure relegation is not part
of their vocabulary come end of
the season.
"Firstly, being captain is all
down to my discipline plus the
fact that I was the vice-captain
last season," he says. "I have
also been preaching to my team-
mates that we need to keep it
solid at the back.
"I can safely say that we will
not be getting relegated - I
know some people don't believe
in us, but you need to believe
in yourself before anyone else
starts believing in you."
By Lovemore Moyo
20 KICK-YF DECEMBER 2015
visit www.kickoff.com
fortherecord
Dikwena unearthing
Botswana's talent
PLATINUM Stars are set to benefit
significantly from their formal
relationship with Botswana Premier
League (BPL) side Jwaneng Galaxy,
with the arrangement allowing
Dikwena first option on any player
being sold by the club to a team outside
the country.
In 2012 the North West-based team
scored big when they signed Botswana
international Mogakolodi Ngele from
Township Rollers, and they look set to
tap into similar resources in the country.
Galaxy chairman Njabulo Gilika tells
KICK OFF, "We have a relationship with
Platinum Stars. We are also learning
from them because they are a well-run
professional club amongst other
things."
Galaxy are a newly-formed side
born out of a merger between Jwaneng
Comets and Blue Diamonds in July
2014. They currently have three South
African players on their books: Tshepo
Borake, Israel Batsi and Vusimuzi Sibiya.
By Austin Ditihobolo
Ajax Cape Town
^ Zambian midfielder Clifford
Mulenga - who left the club after
the non-renewal of his contract
at the end of June - has won
the title back home with ZESCO
United.
^ The club is showing interest in
Ghana defender Lawrence Lartey.
Bidvest Wits
^ English striker James Keene
- who tried out at Kalzer Chiefs
last season - is being assessed by
the club. They already have five
foreigners on their books, though
Malawian midfielder Gerald Phiri
is yet to be registered.
Chippa United
^ Bennett Chenene is still train-
ing with the club almost a month
since he arrived as a free agent.
^ Former captain Andile Mbe-
nyane has returned to training
following a two month spell away
due to a family bereavement.
Golden Arrows
^ Namibian winger Deon Motto is
expected to complete the season
with Arrows before the club
considers the various enquiries
about his services.
Jomo Cosmos
^ Kenyan forward Michael 01-
unga is due to start training with
the squad before the Christmas
break. Olunga is on loan at Ke-
nyan Premier League champions
Gor Mahia from Liberty Academy.
Free State Stars
^The club's MultiChoice Diski
Challenge team captain Justice
Chabalala has been promoted to
the first team.
^ Belgian forward Andrea Fllleda
has undergone a minor operation
to his nose.
Kaizer Chiefs
^ Injured striker David Zulu
will have to move mountains
to be considered for the first
team when he recovers from his
injury as he is apparently not a
preferred attacking option at
the club.
Mamelodi
Sundowns
^ Indications are that Thahiso
Kutumela (see page 23) is a tar-
get for next season following his
goalscoring form at Baroka.
^ Zimbabwean striker Nyasha
Mushekwi is keen on moving
away from the club in January
when his contract enters its last
six months. Mushekwi has PSL
suitors while there are several
foreign clubs also eying him. He
has been on the sidelines since
returning from a loan spell with
Djurgarden IF in Sweden.
^ Also due to move out in
January are Zambians Mukuka
Mulenga and Hichani Himoonde,
as well as Belgian goalkeeper
Glenn Verbauwhede.
^ Zambian goalkeeper Kennedy
Mweene escaped unhurt from a
recent motor vehicle accident,
with his car written off in a colli-
sion with a truck.
Mpumalanga
Black Aces
^ The club intends to offer striker
Collins Mbesuma - who won the
last Absa Premiership Player of
the Month award - a new two-
year contract in June.
Orlando Pirates
^ Whispers within the club are
that Lucky Lekgwathi will be
slowly introduced into the club's
development structures with a
future in coaching most likely.
^ Underutilised forward Tendai
Ndoro has been encouraged to
persevere as he battles to break
into the first team.
^ The club's four-year car spon-
sorship deal with Peugeot will
not be renewed upon its expiry
at the end of the year after the
French company chose not to
commit to a new agreement.
Platinum Stars
^ Stocky forward Patrick
Malokase - who retired at the
end of last season - has ventured
into electrical engineering after
failing to land the team manager
role he was linked with. Malokase
is now a board member at ZondiS-
pace, an enterprise development
initiative whose mother body is
Saftronics (Pty) Ltd.
^ Former youth international
Sibusiso Hadebe will leave upon
the expiry of his three-year con-
tract at the end of the season.
^ Head coach Cavin Johnson was
named the Absa Premiership
Coach of the Month for Septem-
ber/October.
Polokwane City
^ Braziiian goalkeeper coach
Milton Nienov - who spent the
past season with the club - has
joined third tier club Super Eagles
as technical advisor.
^ Out of favour goalkeeper Dino
Visser could leave in January,
with his contract up at the end of
the season.
^Veteran defender Elias Ngwepe
remains in dispute with the club
and his case is being handled by
the Players' Union.
SuperSport United
^ Youthful defender Jino Moeket-
si, who is currently out on loan
at Vasco da Gama, could have his
loan spell cut short and return to
his parent following disciplinary
problems at the Cape Town club.
University
of Pretoria
^ Club assistant coach Sly Mosala
is evidently on his way out after
clashing with management in
the period following Sammy
Troughton's red card against Ajax
Cape Town, which then led to a
match ban. Rumour has it that
Mosala felt belittled that Varsity
League coach Evangelos Vellios
was brought into to take charge
in the absence of Troughton.
news on your phone: kickoff.com/mobile
DECEMBER 2015 KICK'YF 21
@ ON THE BALL I The world of football in brief
TOKYO Sexwale might not
have had much to do with
South African football, save
for participation in the upper
structures of the World Cup bid
and later tournament organisa-
tion, but he wiU write his own
piece of history as the first from
the country to bid for the big-
gest seat in world sport.
But whether the millionaire
businessman has any chance in
February when world football’s
controlhng body Fifa decide
on their next leader remains
unclear as he emerges as some-
thing of a fringe candidate.
The fluidity of the situation
at Fifa, plus the Machiavel-
han machinations behind the
scenes ahead of the ballot
suggests there might stiU be
plentiful changes before the
209 members gather for the
elections on February 26 at
the ‘Messe Halle’ in Zurich,
the same venue where South
Africa won the right to host
the 20 10 World Cup finals.
By then Sexwale could
either have slipped off the
ballot paper altogether or
emerged as a clever com-
promise candidate amid a
continuing turbulent time as
revelations of past corruption
seep to the surface almost
each passing day.
Already dropped as candi-
dates for the presidency are
Uefa chief Michel Platini, who
is serving a 90-day suspension
handed down in early Octo-
ber, and the egoistic Liberian,
Musa Hassan Bility.
This leaves five candidates:
THE PRINCE
Ali ben Al Hussein (39 years, Jordan)
Member of the royal family
and president of his country’s
football association. He has the
profile of being the anti-Blatter
candidate at the last Fifa
election on May 29 where he
surprised by garnering 73 votes
to the wining tally of 133 for
the ageing Swiss. But this time
the prince does not have the
support of Uefa, who helped
bankroll his last bid, nor that
of his own confederation, Asia.
CAN TOKYO GO
ALL THE WAY?
THE UNKNOWN
Jerome Champagne (57 years, France)
A former diplomat, he was
the international ‘consigliore’
to Blatter from after the 1998
World Cup to 2010, eventu-
ally given the title deputy
general secretary before leav-
ing. He was close to Blatter,
but anti-Platini and has been
a sniping voice from the side-
lines since, although for the
last election could not get on
the ballot because he did not
get the minimum five nomina-
tions he has received now. He
is a fan of St Etienne.
THE POTENTIAL SURPRISE
Tokyo Sexwale (62 years. South Africa)
First premier of Gauteng
and later a minister in Jacob
Zuma’s first cabinet, who has
made a fortune as a well-
connected businessman. His
time on Robben Island with
Nelson Mandela gives him a
massive international calling
card, but involvement with
the 2010 South African World
Cup Board might count
against him as the ‘donation’
to Jack Warner is investigated
more thoroughly.
THE FIRM FOOT
Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa (49
years, Bahrain)
A member of Bahrain’s royal
family and, since 2013, presi-
dent of the Asian Football
Confederation and therefore
also a Fifa vice president. His
family are responsible for
much repression in the Gulf
State of the majority Shi’a
population who want more
democracy after decades of
rule by the Sunni royal family.
Riots in 201 1 led to the arrest
of several members of the
national football team.
THEPLAN-B
Gianni Infantino (45 years, Switzerland)
A lawyer by profession and
former secretary general of
CIES, the sports studies uni-
versity, he has worked at Uefa
since 2000 and is Platini’s
right-hand man. He is the
alternative for the Europeans
with Platini not allowed to
stand, but is seen as something
of a lightweight.
By MarkGleeson
22 KICK-TF DECEMBER 2015
visit www.kickoff.com
Lack of
depth
SPOTLIGHT I Thabiso Kutumela (Baroka FC)
OWEN da Gama’s Under-23
squad that is preparing
for Olympic qualifiers has
nowhere near the level of
experience enjoyed by Shakes
Mashaba’s AmaGlug-glug
team that competed at the
2000 Olympics.
Of the ‘Class of 2015’, only
12 have experience in the PSL
and of that dozen, only Keagan
DoUy (55 matches), Abbubaker
Mobara (50), Rwanda Mng-
onyama (30), Deolin Mekoa
(18) and Riyaad Norodien (12)
are in double figures.
Compare that to 2000,
where every player had made a
name for themselves in the top
flight, with the lowest number
of starts credited to 19-year-
old Aaron Mokoena - of Ajax
Amsterdam.
Jabu Pule had just 17
starts for Kaizer Chiefs but
at the other end of the scale,
David Kannemeyer, Stanton
Fredericks, Matthew Booth
and Steve Lekoelea had all
notched up over 100 matches
in the PSL, while Emile Baron
(Lillestrom), Quinton Fortune
(Manchester United), Dehon
Buckley (Bochum) and Benni
McCarthy (CeltaVigo) had es-
tabhshed themselves in Europe.
Even stand-by players Lebo-
hang Kukame (49), Mzunani
Mgwigwi (46), Patrick Mbuthu
(56) and Rowen Fernandez
(36) were well experienced.
In addition, 10 of the squad
had already been capped by
Bafana Bafana.
Should South Africa qualify,
one hopes more Premiership
game-time wiU follow in the
next nine months.
NAME: Thabiso Simon
Kutumela
NICKNAME: Messi
BORN: 3/7/93 in
Mokopane, Limpopo
LOVELIFE: Girlfriend
PREVIOUS CLUBS:
Modimolle Real Rovers,
Mokopane Academy,
Boyne Tigers (all
amateur)
CAR: None
CELLPHONE: i-phone 5
ON THE PITCH
Ten goals in 11 games is
phenomenal by South African
standards. What would you
attribute that superb form to?
The fact that I have been injury-free this
season has helped because I did pre-
season with the team and have been
ever-present. When you are playing
every week your confidence always gets
a boost I am confident I will be able to
maintain my form and end the season
with 20 to 30 goals. I play as a number
10, so I float between the midfield and
the guy playing as targetman. I like
playing one-twos and making use of my
pace to break defences.
You had trials at Ajax Cape Town a
few years ago ...
That is true. I went there during the
2011/12 season and I impressed, but
unfortunately the deal didn't come
through. My club boss [Khurishi
Mphahlele] and my parents were not
comfortable with me being so far away
from home at such an early age.
What would you prefer, gaining
promotion with Baroka or joining a
well-established PSL club?
I would rather be remembered for having
scored the goals that helped Baroka win
promotion to the PSL. Imagine the very
first team that trains in the rural areas
[Ga-Mphahlele] going on to the PSL.
Wouldn't that make for some fairy-tale
reading? I want to be part of that history.
Who has been the toughest
opponent that you have played
against?
There is one defender from Black
Leopards who made life extremely difficult
when we played a goalless draw this season.
That guy - Ndou Thivhavhudzi - stuck to
me like glue everywhere I went.
OFF THE PITCH
What kind of fashion taste do you have
considering that you don't earn as
much as PSL footballers?
I am into Diesel clothing. Actually, I should
give credit to my brother for showing me the
way with fashion because he has a fine taste
in clothing. When you look good, even your
confidence is up there.
What will you be doing during the
festive season break?
Since I am a member of the ZCC, Christmas is
for going to church with family. The famous
Moria is not too far away from us after all. The
festive season is really nothing spectacular for
me but more about being with family
Do you remember the first time you
flew?
It was the time when I flew for trials
with Ajax in 201 1 and I was very
uncomfortable - to be honest I was
frightened, but I chose to be brave. I
didn't enjoy the take-off and landing
at all.
How many kids are you planning
to have?
I think four will do for me, two boys and
two girls, so that it is all balanced. So far
I have a baby girl.
By Lovemore Moyo
ONE-TWOS
Kulula or
Cassper
Mango?
Nyovest,
Mango
obvious!
Auditor or
Easter or
Lawyer?
Christmas?
Auditor
Christmas
AKA or
Skeem Sami
Cassper
or Isibaya?
Nyovest?
Skeem Sami
news on your phone: kickoff.com/mobile
DECEMBER 2015 KICK'YF 23
GALLO IMAGES/JACQUES MARAIS(1)/ANESH DEBIKY/GALLO IMAGES(1)/ASHLEY VLOTMAN/GALLO IMAGES(l)
CHRIS RICC0/BACKPA6EPIX(1)/LEFTYSHIVAMBU/GALL0IMAGES(1)/LEEWARREN/GALL0IMAGES(1)/AFP PHOTO/
PHOTOSPORT - DRAGOMIRYANKOVIC(l)/LEFTY SHIVAMBU/GALLO IMAGES(1)/PHILIP MAETA/GALLO IMAGES(l)/
@ ON THE BALL I The world of football in brief
Good month for •••
Bidvest Wits
The Clever Boys topped the PSL standings
to win the Q-1 innovation prize.
Bad month for
Amajimbos
SA’s juniors
were knocked
out of the
U-17World
Cup after win-
ning just one
point in three
group stage
matches.
0 PALOOKAS
Platinum Stars' Siyabonga Zulu and Chippa
United goalkeeper Veil Mothwa, who appeared
before the PSL's Dispute Resolution Chamber
after both being accused of signing contracts
with more than one club.
PLAYMAKERS
Banyana Banyana, for qualifying for the
Olympics for the second tournament in
succession.
"My defender made
it very difficult for
us. You don't do
stupid things like
that, the referee has
already blown and
has already given a ball to
him and he is still hitting
somebody with an elbow.
I think his parents must
speak to him."- Jomo
Sono on defender Thato
Lingwati
Also last month
• Ajax Cape Town
defender Cecil Lolo
tragically passes away
in a car accident.
• Jomo Cosmos and
Maritzburg United
finally win their first
League games of the
season.
• Leon Prins quits as
director of National
First Division club
Moroka Swallows.
• Roger De Sa extends
his contract as Ajax
Cape Town head coach
until 2018.
Basetsana are denied
a spot at the 2016
Women's U-20 World
Cup following a 1-0
defeat to Nigeria in
their final qualifier.
Former AmaZulu and
Moroka Swallows
coach Julio Leal takes
over at Polokwane
City.
24 KICK;:TF DECEMBER 2015
visit www.kickoff.com
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@ ON THE BALL I The world of football in brief
TOVEY: WE ARE ON
THE RIGHT TRACK
THE South African national
Under- 17s did not cover
themselves in glory during
the Fifa Junior World Cup in
Chile, finishing fourth in a
group from which three teams
qualified, but Safa technical
director NeilTovey believes
Amaiimbos are “on the right
track”.
Molefi Ntseki’s side finished
at the bottom of Group E
after a 2-1 defeat to Costa Rica,
a 1-1 draw with North Korea
and a 2-0 defeat to Russia.
“Before the tournament
started my only concern was
naivety,”Tovey says. “And my
fears were confirmed when we
conceded three penalties in
three matches. To be fair, one
of those penalties should not
have been given, but never-
theless it was always going to
be difficult to come back from
that.
“Despite getting knocked
out in the first round, I believe
we are still on the right track.
The team went to the tourna-
ment and gained valuable
experience and now they need
to take that experience to the
next level. That is the posi-
tive we can take out of this
tournament.”
Before the tournament
kicked off, Ntseki came
under heavy criticism for not
selecting Ajax Cape Town
players despite the fact that
the young Urban Warriors
won the national U-17 Engen
Champ of Champs Tourna-
ment. One of the criticisms is
that the players were selected
in Inter-Provincial, butTovey
dismisses that as “nonsense”.
“We scout our players from
all over the country. Obvi-
ously this is a very difficult
age group to select players
from because none of them
are playing in the PSL. So we
have to visit them and watch
them at their clubs and they
also play tournaments.”
By Zola Doda
Bartlett backs Prince for Bafana return
WHILE on loan at Golden Arrows last
season, Ajax Cape Town striker Prince
Nxumalo enjoyed a good relationship
with then-coach Shaun Bartlett. After
suffering two epileptic siezures that kept
him sidelined for two months, Nxumalo
turned to Bartlett for support.
"Something I've incorporated in
my coaching philosophy is to not only
improve my team as better players, but
as better humans, better men," Bartlett
says. "And I became part of my players'
lives so they always call me for advice or
just to generally chat.
"I've been in contact with Prince even
before his illness - 1 was part of the
reason he joined Ajax, as Roger De Sa
had called to ask what I thought, and I
recommended him. I encourage Prince
on a daily basis."
The former Bafana frontman feels
Nxumalo's epilepsy will not hamper
the striker's progress, as he has all the
attributes of a complete centre forward.
"He's got deceptive speed for his
height, he's got good aerial ability, he's
very strong and can shoot with both
feet. Those are all great attributes, but
you need to back them up with goals,
which he did at the beginning of the
season until he fell ill."
Bartlett backs Nxumalo to play for
the national team soon, after missing
October's friendlies due to his illness.
"When you have the quality and
ability to score goals, you don't lose it
overnight. I think it's inevitable he'll
return to Bafana - once he's back on the
field and proved himself again. He's one
of the bright prospects in this country."
Turn to page 34 for more.
By Fabio De Dominicis
SECRETS OF THE STARS
7 0 things you did not know about Oriando
Pirates midfieider Mpho Makoia
I Mpho Makoia was in the Kaizer
Chiefs Under-13, -15 and -17 youth
teams alongside Itumeleng Khune.
2 Makoia was born and raised in
the township of Alexandra, and
attended Yeoville Community Pri-
mary and Barnato Park High School.
Mpho was an all-rounder as a kid
and received a sports bursary that
put him through high school.
4 After leaving Chiefs, Makoia
joined Africa Soccer Develop-
ment (ASD) Academy, where he
played alongside Oupa Manyisa, Pat-
rick Phungwayo, Ntsikelelo Nyauza
and LehlogonoloMasalesa.
5 Makoia earned R900 per month
playing in the NFD for Vaal Tech.
Black Aces' Tshidiso Tukane was a
teammate.
6 At one stage, Mpho hung
around thugs, tried drugs and
almost got involved with a hijacking
syndicate, but his mother made sure
he continued playing football and
that saved him.
7 The 29-year old is the first born
of six siblings, and grew up with
his mom as a single parent.
8 Makoia has been the main
breadwinner is his family, and
took up the responsibility of buying
groceries at the age of 15.
9 After signing his first
professional contract with
Free State Stars in 2008, he bought
his first car, a Volkswagen Polo
1.9TDI.
Makoia runs an annual
football festival in Mpuma-
langa, which he funds out of his
own pocket, with his sponsor Puma
providing kit and match balls.
By Chad Klate
news on your phone: kickoff.com/mobile
DECEMBER 2015 KICK'YF 27
PICTURES BY MICHAEL SHEEHAN/BACKPAGEPIXd)
@ ON THE BALL I The world of football in brief
REST IN PEACE Cecil Lolo
AJAX'S VERSATILE WARRIOR HONOURED
ACCORDING to Ajax Cape
Town players, and former
club administrator Thabiso
‘Shooz’Mekuto, two words
best suited to describe the
late Cecil Lolo are: ‘sacrifice’
and ‘character’.
Sacrifice and character are
what drove the 27-year-old’s
career from Khayehtsha -
where he started playing
football - until the day he
died in a car accident in the
early hours of Sunday, 25
October.
“Lolo was fun of character
and made sacrifices through-
out his career without
complaining,” Mekuto says.
“Every club has a character
that brings life to the dress-
ing room and at Ajax Cape
Town we had Cecil Lolo. He
was fun of energy and fud of
action. He was one of those
players who stood up and
said whatever needed to be
said when the dressing room
was down.
“He came from the East-
ern Cape and grew up in
Khayehtsha, where he had
to fight for everything and
that is one of the things that
built his character.”
Lolo was bom in Centani,
in the thenTranskei, before
moving to Khayehtsha
where he started playing
footbah as a striker. After
joining the Ajax academy,
Lolo was later promoted to
the club’s Under- 19 side,
campaigning in theVodacom
Second Division.
A season later he was
loaned out to First Division
side E^apa Sporting, return-
ing to Ajax for the 2010/11
season where, under Foppe
de Haan, his career blos-
somed.
“When Lolo was loaned out
to Ikapa, unfike other players
he didn’t complain. He went
there with a fighting attitude,”
Mekuto says.
“He was that kind of a char-
acter. He joined our youth and
played in the Second Division
and he changed from striker
to midfield. Foppe de Haan
converted him to right-back
because of his abihty to attack
and protect the bah. And the
rest is history.”
Under current Ajax coach
Roger De Sa, Lolo was an inte-
gral member of the team, and
in September helped the club
win the MTN8, beating Kaizer
Chiefs in the Final.
“He was a kid who was at the
club for a long, long time and
knew the culture of the club
very weU,”De Sa says.
“He came through very dif-
ficult personal circumstances
growing up, and then breaking
through at Ajax was also dif-
ficult for him.
“When I arrived at the club,
he was a bit of a fringe player,
and behind Nazeer AUie at
right-back. That’s when I
started using him in other posi-
tions as I felt that he would be
wasted if he did not play. For
a few games we used him as a
striker, and he scored!
“We used him as a right-
winger sometimes, and I even
used him as a midfielder ... he
was a fantastic go-to man with
a fantastic character. He was
the lead singer in the change-
room, and always had a smile
- you could always crack a joke
with him,”De Sa continues.
“Whether he was in or out
of the squad, in the starting 1 1
or not, he wouldn’t change. He
was a fantastic teammate,
and will be missed in many,
many ways . . . it’s a bigger
loss than just the number
21 jersey on the field ... it’s a
massive loss to everyone.”
For club captain Travis
Graham it is going to be
tough not seeing Lolo
around.
“We will always have him
in our thoughts, Graham
says. “He played a huge role
in the side. Not many people
will have seen this, but he’s
the guy that always led the
team and brought the spirits
up, because his presence
there was a huge positive for
us - when we went out on the
field, we felt comfortable and
confident, and he was the one
that made us feel that way.”
By Zola Dodaand
Fabio De Dominicis
28 KICK-TF DECEMBER 2015
visit www.kickoff.com
SBHUJWA
NOW AVAILABLE IN YOUTHS, BOYS & INFANTS
Available at leading department stores, select shoe and clothing stores nationwide.
To locate your nearest stockist call: 01 1 345 8000
@ ON THE BALL I The world of football in brief
NSL HISTORY 198
The coaching merry-go-round continues
Nine coaching changes in six months, as Kaizer Chiefs win the first Charity Spectacular
JAN 6 1986 Joe Frickleton starts
training with his new dub Wits
University after taking over as coach for
the new season.
JAN 10 The NSL transfer fee record is
broken as Mamelodi Sundowns pay R40
000 for Mike Mangena from champions
Bush Bucks. They also sign Mike
Ntombela from Wits. Andy Geddes returns
to Wits after a spell with Kaizer Chiefs.
JAN 18 The first-ever Charity
Spectacular is hosted in front of a
capacity crowd at Ellis Park with Kaizer
Chiefs beating Moroka Swallows 2-1 in
the first semi-final and Bloemfontien
Celtic beating Jomo Cosmos 2-0 in the
second game. Tickets cost R4, with all
the money going to Operation Hunger. A
goal three minutes into extra-time from
Ricky Phuka gives Chiefs a 1-0 win over
Celtic in the Final, and Ted Dumitru his
first trophy in South Africa.
JAN 21 Clive Barker resigns as coach of
champions Bush Bucks to take over at
AmaZulu.
JAN 22 Orlando Pirates appoint Charles
Segale as their coach, taking over from Phil
Setshedi. His brother Bennie is already in
charge at Sundowns.
JAN 28 Ian Towers quits as coach of Hellenic
after a row with new chairman George
Hadjidakis.
JAN 31 Chiefs defender Garth Allardice
follows coach Joe Frickleton to Wits.
FEB 8 Ernest Chirwali from Bloemfontein
Celtic is named as 1985 Footballer of the
Year, just edging Mike Mangena.
FEB 9 Big spending Sundowns field five
debutants: Mike Anderson, Mike Mangena,
Pitso Mosimane, Mike Ntombela and
William Zondi all face champions Bush
Bucks, but go down 2-1 at home. Newly
promoted Klerkdorp City beat Witbank Aces
4-1 in their first match.
FEB 10 Mario Tuani quits as coach of
Swallows, leaving Rodney Bush to take over.
FEB 25 Witbank Aces suspend six players
who abscond from the club after they lose
their first three League games.
MARCH 12 Kevin Mudie and Neil Tovey ask
Durban City to put them on the transfer list.
MARCH 16 AmaZulu make it five wins out
of five as they beat Fairway Stars 5-0.
MARCH 23 Calvin Petersen scores all the
goals as Bush Bucks beat Pretoria Callies 5-0.
MARCH 30 Wits end AmaZulu's unbeaten
record with a 3-2 win at Milpark, leading
3-0 at the interval, and Rangers go top after
a 1-1 draw with champions Bush Bucks in
Umlazi. Hellenic beat Klerksdorp City 7-0.
APR 4 New signing Neil Tovey scores as
AmaZulu come from behind to end Arcadia's
unbeaten run, with a 2-1 win in Durban.
APR 9 Log leaders Rangers sign 20-year-old
striker Ian Palmer.
APR 1 1 African Wanderers refuse to start
the game against Rangers because captain
Dees Abdul has allegelly 'lost'his way to the
ground. The match only starts when referee
Errol Sweeney threatens to abandon the tie
in favour of Rangers.
APR 13 Bottom of the log Aces end Chiefs'
unbeaten run with a 1-0 win in Orkney, Eric
Maele scoring the goal.
APR 1 7 Sundowns equal the record
transfer fee by paying R40 000 to Arcadia for
defender John Salter.
APR 20 Rodney Charles marks his return to
the Swallows line-up from the United States
with a ninth-minute header that starts a 7-0
rout of Klerksdorp City. Thomas Hlongwane
grabs three.
APR 26 The NSL reports a net loss of R350
000 for the 1985 financial year at their
AGM at Sun City. It is also revealed that the
SABC paid R450 000 for the TV rights in
1985. Four new members are voted onto
the management committee: Godfrey
Gxowa, Raymond Hack, Coloured Passmore
from Second Division Blackpool and John
daCanha.
APR 29 Jingles Perriera is appointed as the
new coach of Pirates, who have won just
two of 11 League matches.
MAY 10 Sundowns' extravagant director
Zola Mahobe takes all his players and
their partners to London to watch the FA
Cup Final, where Liverpool beat Everton
3-1 . The Pretoria team also plays a 2-2
draw in a clandestine match against
Crystal Palace Reserves in bitterly cold
conditions.
MAY 10 Shane MacGregor's penalty gives
Rangers a 1-0 win at Klerksdorp City and
a seven point lead over second placed
AmaZulu.
MAY 14 Brian Goldrick takes over from
Joe Frickleton at Wits University after the
Scotsman takes up an offer to become the
general manager of the Bopsol League.
MAY 15 Swaziland bans four of their
nationals competing in the Castle League
for life: Absalom 'Scara'Thindwa and William
Shongwe of Chiefs, Len Mashabela at Celtic
and AmaZulu's Lucky Khoza.
MAY 27 Chiefs put Wellington Manyathi
and Aaron Nkosi on the transfer list.
MAY29 Joel'Ace'Mnini approaches
Swallows for a possible return to the club
after 14 months in the rival NPSL Ace
Ntsoelengoe has already gone back to Chiefs
and Jan Lechaba to Sundowns after their
club Ace Mates folded.
JUNE 3 Terry Paine joins Witbank Aces as
coach and immediately signs Peter Gordon
and Coody Bentley from his previous team,
amateurs Bedfordview. Five days later
Paine's first game in charge sees Aces thump
Hellenic 5-0.
JUNE 8 Pretoria Callies new owner Ricky
Flynn is stabbed in the head and shoulder
by supporters from his own club as they
lose 3-6 to Bloemfontein Celtic. Flynn is
admitted to intensive care, suffering from
paralysis and brain damage. AmaZulu
hammer Kaizer Chiefs 5-1 with Kevin
Mudie getting two and Neil Tovey one.
Sundowns enter the transfer market again,
swapping Mike Mangena for Andries Chitja
of Swallows.
JUNE 9 Dave Roberts quits as Celtic coach
after contract talks break down.
JUNE 14 Durban City goalkeeper John
Mackenna is injured when a bomb goes off
at a Durban bar. He has 56 stitches in his
face, but plays against Rangers six days later.
JUNE 21 1 7-year-old Zane Moosa debuts
for Wits against Chiefs at Milpark and steals
the show with his tricky feet, even drawing
applause from Amakhosi fans. The game
ends 1-1.
JUNE 25 George Matjila rejoins Arcadia
on a free transfer from Aces, while veteran
goalkeeper Patson Banda gets his clearance
from Wanderers and signs for Swallows.
news on your phone: kickoff.com/mobile
DECEMBER 2015 KICK'YF 31
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SHAUN ROY/GALLO IMAGESdVLEE WARREN /GALLO IMAGES(l)
^ S' S 1 - Prince Nxumalo is confident he
overcome his medical issues
' ' ib' % and will be back to his best soon
glazed, blank
expression blankets
the face of Prince
Nxumalo, who is
1 about to enter the
pitch for his side’s League clash
against Mamelodi Sundowns.
The Ajax players and staff
reahse it straight away. Coach
Roger De Sa shouts for a
stretcher. The medical staff hurry
over, and the 25-year-old is
rushed to hospital for the second
time in a month.
“Everything was fine in the
warm-ups, but then the guys
said I was acting strange,”
Nxumalo recalls. “That’s when
they saw something wrong. Only
they saw it - 1 felt fine.
“They took me straight to
hospital before the game was
about to start, and when I
woke up, I was still dressed up,
in my kit, with shin pads and
ever 3 dhing - 1 was ready to
play!”he says.
“And I said, ‘What’s
happening?’ But the doctors
just said, ‘Relax’ . . . then I knew
something was wrong, again.”
Nxumalo had suffered
O ^Full name: Mfanafuthi Prince
Nxumalo ►Born: 18/5/90 in
Umlazi ►Source: Khanya FC,
Benfica FC ►Previous clubs:
Amaqhawe Academy ►PSL debut: Super-
Sport United 2 Ajax Cape Town 1 (1 9/1 2/1 2)
►First PSL goal: SuperSport United 2 Ajax
Cape Town 1 (19/12/12) ►Honours: 14/15
NFD Winner; 14/15Telkom knockout winner;
2015/16 MTN8 winner
Career history:
SEASON CLUB GAMES GLS
10/11 FC Cape Town
11/12 FCCapeTown
12/13 SuperSport Utd
13/14 SuperSport Utd
FC Cape Town
14/15 SuperSport Utd
Golden Arrows
15/16 Ajax Cape Town
Totals:
7(-h2subs) 0
no records available
6 (-1-4 subs) 2
2 (-hi sub) 0
13 (-hi sub) 7
K-hlOsubs) 0
6 (-hi 1 subs) 4
5 (-hi sub) 3
40 16
Correct as at 13/1 1/15. League and Cup matches
only. Friendlies and Charity games not included.
3>f KICK'TF DECEMBER 2015
visit www.kickoff.com
Despite a difficult few
months for Ajax Cape
Town's Prince Nxumalo,
the striker remains upbeat
as he seeks to replicate his
early-season form.
BYFABIODE DOMINICIS
another epileptic fit just weeks
after the first attack, ahead of
Ajax’s MTN8 semi-final win
over Bidvest Wits. That had
been a huge shock, as he had
never experienced any such
symptoms in the past.
Epilepsy is a chronic
disorder, the hallmark of
which is recurrent, unprovoked
seizures.
The seizures may be related
to a brain injury or a family
tendency, but often the cause is
completely unknown.
“Even when I was young, it
never happened,” Nxumalo says.
“The first time was at Milpark.
When it happened, I didn’t
know anything afterwards. I
remember waking up in the
hospital after the game - 1 was
hke,‘Hawu?’I had no idea that
so much time had passed.
“My family was shocked.
They were asking so many
questions. They are still worried,
but I told them I’m alright now.”
The talented forward,
speaking after his first
appearance in 70 days following
a substitute cameo in a 2-1 loss
to Orlando Pirates, insists he is
slowly returning to his best.
“Even now, the doctors
haven’t been able to find
an3dhing wrong. I see different
doctors and specialists, and
every time I go, aH of them say
I am alright, that everything is
normal and I can play.
“It’s been very hard . . . but
the coach and the bosses have
been very supportive, so have
the players. I can see I am not
alone in this.”
Nxumalo had been in hot
form, winning the August PSL
Player of the Month with three
goals in his first three matches
for Ajax after joining from
SuperSport United. But after
the epileptic attack, he missed
out on the glory of defeating
Kaizer Chiefs in the MTN8
Final, and had to pull out of
South Africa’s tour of Central
America. He had received
his first-ever national caH-up
just prior to suffering his first
fit, so putting out was a huge
disappointment.
“I was so happy - 1 couldn’t
beheve I received a calt-up,”he
says. “I watched Bafana play
... it was so sad. I have never
played for any national team
at any junior level, so receiving
that calt-up was something else.
“I have to work hard now,
and score more goals so they
can calt me up again.”
Nxumalo is now on
prescribed medication for his
epilepsy, and insists his set-back
will not deter him from giving
maximum effort.
“I’m not afraid to give 100
percent, because I know if I get
sick, Ajax are here to help me,”
Epileptic athletes
Thulasizwe 'Juju' Mbuyane -
Former Orlando Pirates midfielder
Jonty Rhodes - Former South
African international cricketer
Leon Legge - English footballer at
Cambridge United ^
da\ Greene -Welsh hurdler
who has won gold at the ^
Commonwealth, European ^
and World Championships
Terry Marsh - Former
English boxer who was j
undefeated In the IBF world
light-welterweight division %
Chanda Gunn - Canadian M
Olympic Ice-hockey goalie
who gave up swimming and ^
surfing because of epilepsy
he says. “So I have to give my aU
to them because they’ve given
their support to me. I’m happy,
because I have the support of
my family, my team and my
friends.”
Ajax’s coach is confident
Nxumalo will overcome the
illness in time.
“We’ve really pushed him at
training to see if he copes,” De
Sa says. “Initially we had to keep
a very close watch on him, and
he’s come through pretty well.
The specialists are very happy
with where he’s at. He’s taken
well to the medication, and
we can see the future is a lot
brighter for him.”
Nxumalo is grateful to De Sa:
“The coach keeps reminding me
that I am not the only one to
have suffered this - many other
athletes have epilepsy,” he says.
“Roger always encourages me:
if we doing shooting practice,
even if I miss nine out of ten
shots, he’U stiU say, ‘You are the
best! ’to boost my confidence.”
Fellow striker Nathan Paulse
has been Ajax’s go-to man for
goals, enjoying a fine purple
patch in Nxumalo’s absence
with six goals in seven matches,
but Nxumalo is not
rat IL
i*-
threatened by this.
“At the beginning of
B the season, I was playing,
, and he kept encouraging
me. Then I got sick and
^ he was scoring goals.
K So I said to him, ‘Hey,
you’re scoring! ’to which
^9 he rephed,‘You know
why? Because of you!
I know if I don’t score,
you’U come back and
take my place!’ So I get
motivation from him,
and he does the same
from me!” 1^
Second fit could have
been avoided
PRINCE Nxumalo's second seizure may
have occurred because he was not
taking enough medication, nor was he
taking it at the correct time.
"It's been quite complicated," Roger
De Sa says. "The medication lasts a
certain time, so the time he takes it to
the time of the match is important.
"There are also side-effects -
dizziness, heartburn, etc. Prince was
taking the medication earlier, so it
wouldn't affect him too much during
the match, but unfortunately that
meant it was very weak before the
match, leading to a reoccurrence.
"The specialists have now changed
the medication - Prince is now on a
stronger medication for the specific
epilepsy he has."
DrTshepo Molobi, the national
Under-1 7 team doctor, who also
conducts the players' medicals at
University of Pretoria, explains that
treatment differs for each case.
"It really varies - you have to look
at a whole lot of things, and tailor-
make it for that individual," he says.
Molobi explains there are various
possibilities for the onset of an
epileptic fit, with chances of such an
incident high in sportsman.
"In many cases it's inherited, but is
often caused by serious injuries to the
head and damage to the brain.
"Sport is very physical and there
is contact, so strenuous exertion and
trauma to the head may trigger such
seizures. Dehydration may also be a
trigger," he says.
Molobi says there are different
severities of epilepsy that determine
to what extent a player may exert
himself.
"As a sportsman, you would still
have to be extremely cautious, and
still attend sessions with a neurologist.
"They would grade the epilepsy
based on their findings to determine
whether or not a patient is fit enough
to play. When you know the history and
triggers of the particular patient, you
can prescribe the correct medication
- you cannot blanket a prognosis for
everybody, it has to be tailor-made,
factoring in age, diet, socio-economic
status and nature of the sport.
"If it's well controlled, you can
very cautiously allow someone to
participate at the highest level," he
says. "But it needs one to be extremely
meticulous in follow-ups of the
condition, and excluding trigger
factors."
news on your phone: kickoff.com/mobile
DECEMBER 2015 KICK'VF 35
Is it in Reyaad Pieterse's interests to sign a new
contract if it means remaining third-choice at Kaizer
Chiefs? asks Lovemore Moyo.
N O matter the talent,
there is no substitute
for game-time.
Kaizer Chiefs’ third-
choice goalkeeper
Reyaad Pieterse, who will soon
be out of contract, has plenty
to think about in the coming
months.
Young, polished, reliable,
talented and blessed with
height, Pieterse’s situation
raises the question: should he
be content with staying on at
Chiefs as effectively third choice
behind Itumeleng Khune and
highly-capable second choice
Brilliant Khuzwayo?
The 23 -year- old’s contract
is up at the end of June 2016,
and with reported interest both
domestically and from Europe,
Pieterse has a tough decision to
make. He has previously played
at Shamrock Rovers in Ireland,
and moving on to another
local club would guarantee
him more game-time than he is
currently getting.
“We keepers are always
fighting for that number one
spot,” Pieterse says. “We always
want to be that guy who saves
the team or helps the team
claim victory. You never want to
play second fiddle.”
Word is that Pieterse has
delayed contract talks with
Chiefs as a way of buying
time, with his heart set on a
possible move to one of the
Scandinavian countries where
his characteristics - size, aerial
command, presence, footwork,
positioning, good attitude,
bravery, decent distribution
and safe hands - are highly
sought after.
“With regards to my contract
negotiations, I don’t really
want to get into that ... for now
I am a Kaizer Chiefs player
and I just want to do the best I
can for this big brand,” he says
diplomatically.
But he admits: “I haven’t
signed a new contract ... I just
want to see out my time here
and if something better comes
from overseas then I am willing
to take it.”
If nothing materialises
overseas, Pieterse admits he’d
rather stay where he is than
move on locally. “I am at the
best place in the country -
going anywhere else locally
wouldn’t do justice to my
career. Being at Chiefs has been
wonderful, and if something
happens here then I am willing
to take it,” he says.
Retired goalkeeper Eduan
Naude of Forte Management,
who represent Pieterse,
confirms that they are not
entertaining any local options,
as a move back to Europe
remains the prime target.
“We haven’t renewed with
Chiefs yet, but at the same time
we haven’t closed the door on
Chiefs,” Naude says. “What I
have to make clear is that if
Reyaad is not staying at Chiefs
then he is not moving to any
local club but heading back to
Europe.
“He is very ambitious and
having had a feel of Europe
before, he does not want to
take a step back in his career
by moving from the best club
in South Africa to another
local club. His main
objective is to go
overseas
again and we
will explore that
option in finer detail.
We will see what happens
in January when he enters
the last six months of his
contract and pursue all options
available.
“If something eventually
happens during the January
transfer window then I am
sure Chiefs will want to cash in
on him then rather than lose
him for free when his contract
expires. But no conclusive
decision has been made yet
with regards to Reyaad’s
future,” Naude explains.
Based on what Pieterse has
continued to show in training,
it is evident that he has a
firm head on his shoulders
and hasn’t disappointed
whenever he has been given
a chance ahead of Khune
and Khuzwayo.
In his debut season
(2013/14) Pieterse made
his first appearance as
a substitute against
Polokwane City, keeping
a clean sheet, and went
on to start ten matches -
mostly in continental club
competitions - keeping
another five clean sheets in
the process.
Last season he
had six starts
and two
36 KICK-^F DECEMBER 2015
substitute appearances,
keeping five clean sheets. And
this season he has played five
matches, keeping two clean
sheets and conceding five
goals, including three in the
5-3 thriller against against
Maritzburg United in the
MTN8 quarter-final.
While he does not get as
much game-time as he would
like, Pieterse admits that the
competition he faces from
Khune and Khuzwayo helps
improve his game
“When you are competing
against Itu and Brilliant you
know that they will bring
their A- game, and you need to
bring yours as well,” he says.
“It is always good fighting for
the number one spot because
you improve on a daily basis,
as you know that the level of
competition is higher and you
need to maintain that. I learn
on a daily basis from Khune
and Brilliant.
“I am also learning
all the time from our
goalkeeping coaches
Rainer Dinkelacker and
Brian Baloyi. Coach
Brian is still under the
guidance of coach
Rainer, so it’s been
very good and he
is coming with
some new ideas
and is always
trying to
motivate and
encourage
us. We are
always
learning
from Brian, especially from his
past experiences.”
Beyond domestic action,
Pieterse has also set his sights
on Bafana Bafana.
“Game-time is what
improves your chances of
getting selected for the national
team. If the coach calls me up
to come and do the job, then I
am willing to do so. I will relish
the opportunity and try to grab
it with both hands.”
One area Chiefs have
struggled with this season
is in defence, with the hole
left by the departure of Tefu
Mashamaite creating structural
weaknesses that Siyanda Xulu
and Ivan Bukenya have yet to
correct. But Pieterse insists it is
just a matter of time before the
problem is rectified.
“It is not a worry because a
lot of new players have come
in, and for them to gel it takes
time. Once that happens then
we will get our form back and
concede less goals and get to
where we were last season,”
Pieterse says. M
O ^Full name: Reyaad Pieterse
► Born: 1 7/2/92 in Johannes-
burg ^Previous clubs: Bidvest
Witsjuniors;BidBoys, Nike
Academy ► PSL debut: Kaizer Chiefs 4 Polok-
waneCityl (27/1 1/1 3, as a sub) P^Full debut:
Platinum Stars 2 Kaizer Cjiefs 0 (12/3/14)
P^Honours: 12/13, 14/15 PSL winner; 12/13
Nedbank Cup winner; 14/15 MTN8 winner
Career history:
SEASON CLUB GAMES GLS
11/12 Shamrock
Rovers (IRE) 5 0
12/13 KaizerChiefs did not play
13/14 KaizerChiefs 10(1 sub) 0
14/15 KaizerChiefs 6 (2 sub) 0
15/16 KaizerChiefs 5 0
Totals: 26 0
Correct as at 12/11/15. League and Cup matches
only. Friendlies and charity games not included.
AUBREY MATHIBE
11^ Patience the key
FORMER Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper
Aubrey Mathibe, who spent his entire
career at the club as back-up to Brian
Baloyi and Rowan Fernandez, feels
Reyaad Pieterse must stay.
Now 35, and plying his trade with
Moroka Swallows, Mathibe was at
Chiefs from 2000-2006 and played just
a single match in his time there.
"My honest advice to him is that if
there is another local club that wants
him I would say rather stay at Chiefs.
I wouldn't know about overseas
because I never played there and I
don't know the conditions there, but I
want to emphasise that if the interest
is local and not from Orlando Pirates or
possibly Mamelodi Sundowns, then he
should just stay.
"Locally, it can never get better than
Chiefs. He is 23, so if he signs another
three years it will not hurt him because
he will be 26 by the time his next
contract expires which is still young for
a goalkeeper," Mathibe advises.
"He needs to understand only a few
lucky keepers - like Itu - can break
through and play right away and go
on to be stars. Others must wait, not
because they are not good, but because
they will blossom at a later stage. There
is no guarantee that he will always
remain on the bench if he signs a new
contract. He must be positive - his
attitude will be important, he will need
to continue maintaining a good head
instead of becoming ill-disciplined
because he is not playing.
"Goalkeeping is such a delicate
position because only one can play at
a time. It really hurts having to sit on
the bench, but you have to be patient
and keep reminding yourself that to
get to Chiefs it means you are the best,"
Mathibe adds. IS]
DECEMBER 2015 KlCWill 37
II
38 KICK!iYF DECEMBER 2015
visit www.kickoff.com
Bongani Khumalo has returned to South African shores, joining his former team SuperSport United
for a second stint after previously winning a hat-trick of Absa Premiership titles with the Tshwane side.
The former Bafana Bafana skipper sits with KICK OFF's Chad Klate to talk through his English League
experiences, a fruitless five years and the challenges of a decent upbringing.
B ongani Khumalo rose to
prominence during his
three years at SuperSport
United, when he won three
consecutive League titles
and represented South
Africa at the 2009 Fifa
Confederations Cup and the 20 10 World
Cup. This earned him a move to English
Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur,
who have been in partnership with
United’s Youth Academy since 2007.
After signing a five-year contract
with Spurs in 2010 Khumalo joined the
London-based club in January 2011, but
spent most of his time on loan at Preston
North End, Reading, PAOK in Greece,
Doncaster Rovers and Colchester United
before returning to South Africa at the
beginning of this season.
Upon his return to SuperSport the
28-year-old made his competitive debut
in his side’s 3-1 defeat to BidvestWits
in the opening round of the MTN8, and
faced criticism for his defensive display
after allowing The Clever Boys to breach
the backline on three occasions. He was
then part of the team that suffered 4-1
and 3-1 League defeats to Kaizer Chiefs
and Platinum Stars respectively. It was a
tough return, but Khumalo is a fighter,
and is relishing the challenge.
KICK OFF: Bongs, welcome back to the
PSL. What have you made of your return
so far, and how does it compare to your
experiences in England?
BONGANI KHUMALO: It is obviously very
different. The mentality and the style -
it’s all very, very different. In Europe,
players are more tactically disciphned.
Even in the Championship, the players
have incredible technique. In the PSL, we
tend to rely a lot on the individual - the
speed, brilliant skill - but it’s different
everywhere you go in the world.
When I arrived at Tottenham I
struggled to adjust and adapt to a
different mentality. People talk about
the pace of the game - where here we
have fast players, in England it’s the ball;
the speed of actual play and the game
intelhgence - you get players who see
three, four passes ahead and that’s where
their speed lies. It’s a huge difference,
especially for a defender, to adjust to
handling different situations. In the
Championship, it’s more in your face, it’s
more direct and with a lot more contact.
So in terms of the different styles. I’ve
had good experience. Playing in Greece
was also different, I played a couple of
Europa League qualifiers. There it’s more
technical but a bit slower, with a lot of
tactics as weU. So that’s three places
where the mentalities are totally different.
Now I’ve come back, and even though
I’ve played here before, I think people
don’t realise that when you’re used to a
certain mentality and style, it takes some
time to readjust.
Many fans tend to view the lower
divisions, such as the Championship, as
a step down from the PSL. What do you
make of that perception?
It’s a very common misconception that
the lower leagues in England are not
worth playing in. What’s unfortunate is
that there’s no exposure, and people have
no idea what the competitiveness or the
professionalism is hke. All people know
is what they see, which is the Premier
League week-in, week-out.
The Championship is really tough - to
be fair, even as players we used to think
little of it, but it’s really not the case when
you’re playing there. I can guarantee
that if players in the PSL go over to the
Championship, they would find it really
hard. The intensity of those games is
incredible from the minute the first whistle
goes. It was a fight and I learned to love it,
and I really enjoyed my time there.
But again, it’s hard to change public
perception when there’s no education
because games don’t get televised. If the
Championship was broadcast as much
as the Premier League, people would
realise what good players there are in
that league, and maybe even wonder
why some aren’t playing for Manchester
United or Chelsea. But because there’s
no exposure, people can’t rate it, so they
assume, ‘He might as well be playing
Mvela League, it’s the same thing’. But
NO my friend, it’s nowhere near that.
I never take the criticism personally;
I had an incredible experience and I
loved it. I lived the dream and people will
always have good and bad opinions, but ^
M ^ Playing in the English Championship was H H
II fight, and I learned to love it, ww
news on your phone: kickoff.com/mobile
DECEMBER 2015 KICK'TF 39
SAMUEL SHIVAMBU/BACKPAGEPIX(1)/CHRISBRUNSKILL/6ETTYIMAGES(1)/LEFTYSHIVMABU/ GALLO IMAGES(l)
I never thought about it. I was around
some top players, and the greatest feeling
was gaining respect away from home. I’ll
always be grateful for that experience.
What do you mean when you say you were
"living the dream"?
Imagine waking up every day and having
that itch to go and give your best because
you are training with the world’s top
players. I remember my first day of
training; David Beckham was sitting next
to me in a changeroom. I used to think
I get to training early, but when I would
arrive, he was already there chilling
and having a yoghurt before he goes to
gym. And it wasn’t only Beckham; it
was Jermain Defoe, Kyle Walker, Luca
Modric, Gareth Bale, Tom Huddlestone
. . . that was surreal; it was a dream. On
the training ground the quality is umeal.
You’d get Defoe coming to you and telling
you, ‘Bongs, today everything I touch is a
goal’, and then after training he’d come
in and say, ‘Bongs, what did I tell you?’.
These are players that have achieved, yet
they still want to be at their very best
every single day.
How did you adapt to the lifestyle?
Suddenly you were earning British
pounds, how did that impact on you?
It’s important that your lifestyle remains
consistent. There’s nothing wrong with
treating yourself with something nice, but
a trap that people often fall into is when
they earn more, they try to live a different
lifestyle to show that they’ve gone up.
I count myself lucky because my best
friends aren’t in football or sport, and I
come from a good family. I went to a good
school and they looked after me, but I just
wanted something that no parent can give
you, which is football - 1 worked for it. It
was never about money for me.
You've faced some personal criticism over
the years. How has that affected you, and
what is it about Bongani Khumalo that
people don't know?
I don’t come from a poor background. I
was weU taken care of while I was growing
up - my Dad was a lecturer at Unisa
and my Mom was a high school teacher.
Because of my background, I had to work
three times as hard as anyone else to get
where I wanted to be. People think that
it’s aU fun and games for me now that I’ve
played in the national team, in the World
Cup and I’ve gone to Europe, so it’s like,
‘Oh, model C, model C’, but it was always
hard to be taken seriously.
I’ve never thought for one second that
I’m the best player, but I will work and
fight, and never give up. That’s it. I will
^Full name: Bongani Sandile Khumalo
^Born: 6/1/87 in Manzini, Swaziland
^Previous teams: Arcadia Shepherds
^Professional debut: WitbankSpurs2
University of Pretoria 2 (13/8/05) ►First goal: ORTambo
District Cosmos 1 University of Pretoria 3 (14/1/07) ►PSL
debut: SuperSport Utd 0 Kaizer Chiefs 0 (16/9/07) ►First
PSL goal: SuperSport United 3 Orlando Pirates 1 (14/11/07)
►International debut: South Africa 2 Zimbabwe 1 (11/3/08)
►Honours: 42 senior international caps, 8 under-23 caps;
2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10 PSL champion
Career history:
SEASON
CLUB
MATCHES
GOALS
05-07
Univ. Of Pretoria (Div.l)
50 (-F 6 Sub)
4
07/08
Supersport United
28
4
08/09
Supersport United
27 (-h4Sub)
4
09/10
Supersport United
29
1
10/11
Supersport United
10
0
Tottenham Hotspur
Preston North End
(England Div. 1, Loan)
did not play
6
0
11/12
Tottenham Hotspur
did not play
Reading (England Div.
5
0
12/13
1, Loan)
PAOK (Greece, Loan)
24 (-1-4 sub)
0
13/14
Doncaster Rovers
(England Div. 1, Loan)
32
0
14/15
Colchester (third tier)
10
0
15/16
SuperSport United
9
0
TOTALS
230
13
Correct as at 12/11/2015. League and cup games only. Charity
games and friendlies not included.
never say ‘I was a great player’, but I’ll
say ‘I worked, I grafted, I did whatever I
could to improve’.
I lost my Dad when I was 13, and my
Mom when I was 23. On the opening
day of the 20 10 World Cup was exactly
a year since my mom had passed away.
She died while I was in camp for the
Confederations Cup [in 2009]. It was
a tough time. You get challenges, but
people don’t see that. At the end of the
day, people wiU always have perceptions
and opinions of you, but it’s important to
just focus on yourself, your career, your
passion and your love.
You also suffered quite a serious injury in
Bafana's 5-0 loss to Brazil in 2014. What
was that like and how tough was it to
come back?
My injury was career-threatening; it was
massive and it’s a miracle that I’m still
playing football. I ruptured my patella
tendon; my knee-cap was half-way up my
thigh and because I’m a big guy, that’s a
massive tendon. I grafted for months to
come back, and when I played my first
45 minutes after eight months, no one
could believe it. The physiotherapist even
told me, ‘Bongs, honestly, I (hdn’t think
you’d play football again’. But I lost all
my muscle - my leg was straight for three
months. I was at training by myself - six
fields, it was empty, it was baby steps. I
had to start all over with walking and
running ... it’s a miracle.
Any hopes of returning to the national
team set-up now that you are back home?
I’m always hungry to play at a higher
level. I do miss the big games, the
occasions that those games brought,
but I mean I haven’t retired, which says
everything. At the end of the day there’s
a coach in place - if he wants to select
me then I’m available, but if not then life
goes on. My current focus is purely on
SuperSport though. If I do a job there,
then maybe I have a chance with the
national team.
40 KlCWilf DECEMBER 2015
visit www.kickoff.com
mm
'-'-wT'
OMiGA
Lehlohonolo Majoro
ns-
PHOTO BY GAVIN BARKER/BACKPAGEPIX(1)
KICKQTF
Brilliant Khuzwayo
Not for Sale to Persons Under the Age of 18.
KICK OFF: How do you feel
about life so far at Chippa
United?
ARISTIDE BANCE: It feels good.
I received a warm welcome and
everyone in the team is friendly,
the coach and all the players. I
am very happy!
After playing in Europe,
why did you choose to come
to South Africa?
I played here during the
Africa Cup of Nations, and I
loved what I saw - it’s a beau-
tiful country. Also, one of my
friends Madi Panandetiguiri
played here at Chippa United.
He told me many positive
things about this country.
How do you find life in the
Friendly City, Port Elizabeth?
, ^ It’s cool. Somehow it feels
like Europe. I go out to
restaurants once in a
while, but I don’t
go out much.
I prefer to
stay indoors
after training.
You trained with Wits
but did not sign. Please
share with us what
happened?
Yes I trained with
Wits, but from what
I heard from my
manager, Jean Marc
[Eyango], they could
not agree on financial
terms.
Now that you have played a
few games, how do you find
the standard of football?
It’s good! It’s open because
any team can beat any other
team. I also like the way the
teams play here; it’s attacking
football.
How do you feel about Chippa's
performance so far?
So far the team is doing weU,
though we are not consistent.
There is great hope. The play-
ers are hungry for success. The
club is not big like Orlando
Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs or Ma-
melodi Sundowns, but there
is great potential. Everyone
is working hard. I am here to
help the club win - 1 want to
help the team become a pow-
erhouse. Everything is possible
as long we work hard and
work collectively as a team.
You have played alongside
Lerato Manzini, Mhlengi
Cele and Rhulani Manzini;
who do you enjoy
playing with?
AH the players are
good. I am a
team player, I
don’t mind
who I play
with. I
am also
not a
coach,
so I
46 UGQf DECEMBER 2015
JVWCV-
'I want to help Chippa United become a
powerhouse"
can’t choose. I enjoy playing
with aU the strikers, Mhlengi,
Lerato and Rhulani; it’s not a
problem. We aU have different
quahties, but Rhulani is strong,
he can run and can fight for
the bah in the air.
What are views about Mark
Mayambela, the crowd
favourite?
Mark is a good player. If he can
use ah his concentration, he
can do better than he is doing
now - he can play in Europe
if he wants. He can dribble,
he can run and
he has a good
physique.
Who has been your
toughest opponent in the
League so far?
It’s difficult to say now -
maybe after the hrst round I
can say something. But I can
mention my teammate, James
[Okwuosa]. I see him more at
training and during the games.
He is strong and also good in
the air.
Who amongst the "Big Three'
has impressed you most so
far this season?
Orlando Pirates. They play
good, attacking footbah, and
they are quick.
What are your personal
ambitions in the PSL?
I am team player and I hke
to work as a member of a
collective for the success of
the team. I know as a striker,
you wiU expect me talk to you
about the top goalscorer award.
No! I don’t mind who scores.
If we lose 3-2 and I score a
goal I feel bad; if we win 1 -0
and another player scores, then
I am happy. My ambition is
to do well with the rest of the
team this season. M
O ^Full name: Aristide Bance
►Born 19/9/84 in Abidjan,
Ivory Coast ►Source: Stade
Abidjan youth ►PSL debut:
Platinum Stars 3 Chippa Utd 2 (22/9/15) ►First
goal: Chippa Utd 2 Polokwane City 1 (25/9/15)
►Honours: 47 Burkina Faso caps (13 goals);
2014 Finnish League winner; 2014 Finnish Cup
winner; 1 1/12 UAE League Cup winner
Career history:
SEASON CLUB GAMES GLS
2000
2001
2002
04/05
07/08
08/09
2014
*- loan
Totals:
Stade Abidjan
33
8
Athletic Adjame
30
5
RFC Daoukro
20
8
Santos Burkina
16
9
Lokeren
7(13 sub)
6
Lokeren
12(13 sub)
6
Lokeren
20 (9 sub)
15
Metalurh Donetsk
5 (7 sub)
2
terminal
2 (8 sub)
0
Beerschot
*Kickers Offenbech
10
4
Mainz
35 (2 sub)
18
Mainz
28 (2 sub)
10
AIAhli(UAE)
7
2
^UmmSalal (Qat)
7
2
*Samsunspor
18 (2 sub)
5
Augsburg
6 (+15 sub) 1
*Fortuna
5 (11 sub)
2
Dusseldorf
HJK Helsinki
4 (+2 sub) 1
Irtysh Pavlador
9 (+2 sub) 2
(Kaz)
Chippa Utd
7
2
281
108
Correct as at 13/11/15. League and cup matches
only. Friendlies and charity matches not included.
news on your phone: kickoff.com/mobile
DECEMBER 2015 KICK'YF 47
After 20 years as a coach, Gavin Hunt is able to reflect
on how the game has evolved over the years from a
coaching and playing perspective.
BYTIYANIWAKAMABASA ^
\\ J, ■ "" A
48 KlCWilf DECEMBER 2015
3l
»
KICK OFF: Let's go back to the
beginning of the season - 12 out of
16 coaches in the PSL were local. As
a local coach who's been doing this
job for 20 years, how did that make
you feel?
GAVIN HUNT: It’s good and it shows
you there is a need and a wiU to
learn - they want to improve. People
that are involved are people certainly
earning their stripes - you know
what Fm saying. A lot of ex-players
just want it to happen without going
through the learning process. I was
in the First Division for three years.
A lot of coaches certainly want top
jobs and good jobs, but you’ve got
to earn your stripes. I don’t buy
into this ‘local coach’ or ‘foreign
coach’. If he’s done weU, earned
his stripes, got good credentials
and good qualifications, it doesn’t
matter where he is from. For
ex-players, if they want to
coach, they must go through
the process.
You have a Uefa 'A' Licence
- how has that helped you in
your career?
You start out learning from
coaches you worked under, and
use your experiences to implement
things that would be of benefit to
you as a player. But there is no
doubt that when you do the licences
and coaching courses, you learn
from other coaches and learn from
experiences what to do in crisis
situations; what to do and what you
don’t need to do. There are a lot of
coaches who feel they don’t need to
do coaching courses, but I disagree.
The game doesn’t change, but
you need to update certain trends.
Society is changing, the youth
are changing and the mentahty is
changing. From my time, in terms of
how the players were spoken to and
how you trained is totally different.
Can you please elaborate on that?
Look at the youth of today. If the
players got spoken to now the way
I got spoken to they wouldn’t play.
They would cry and run away. The
game has changed; the youth are
weak, the mentality is weak and
in my time the players were more
focused.
I
I
i.-i
Who paid for your qualifications?
I paid my way - the tickets and
everything. I did it the hard way and
now people are sent aU over the world
through Safa. I have earned my stripes
while a lot of people got it for free.
How much did you spend?
I spent R180 000 to do my coaching
courses, over a four-year period. It has
paid off in a sense that it just gives
you a better outlook. You can solve a
lot of problems by doing certain drills
and certain training sessions. It can’t
teach you the dynamics of the game.
The smeU of the dressing room is the
most important thing: can you teU what
it needs and doesn’t need? Coaching
courses won’t teach you that, that’s a
human element, but certainly from a
training perspective what it can teach
you is what to do and what not to do
in certain situations. When we do the
final exam for the‘A’hcence there are 75
topics you need to know . . . that’s why it
takes you four years, and those are the
type of things money can’t buy.
Wits are once again one of the League
front-runners. Do you think you have
the squad to win the title?
WeU, our team is better and there is a
lot more resiUence.That was one of the
things lacking, this is a club that hasn’t
got a winning culture and we need to
create that, which takes time and starts
from the top.
You probably have more youngsters
than most PSL teams - players like
Phakamani Mahlambi (18), Marcus
Lecki (21) and Paseka Sekese (21).
How is that working out?
Youth gives you freshness, gives you
brightness and gives you energy. It gives
you freedom. I always say old players
are overrated.
In what sense?
Because old players generaUy have a lot
of bad habits. I had breakfast with Sir
Alex Ferguson and asked him, ‘What
is your secret since you’ve been in the
game for more than 20 years?’ and he
said when a player loses his hunger
and desire, you’ve got to get rid of him.
That’s the secret . . . the most important
thing in footbaU is knowing when to
get rid of a player. When the players
are winning, do they stiU want to win?
And when you are winning you have
to change your team, and when you
HUNT SAYS
I spent R180 000 to do
my coaching courses.
I'm a big believer in the youth.
Old players are overrated.
Sir Alex Ferguson said to me when
a player loses his hunger and desire,
you get rid of him.
If Zongo is honest with
himself he has failed, hasn't he?
Vilakazi hasn't played with a smile
on his face, even at training.
Black Leopards was the most
pleasurable coaching job that I've had.
Even throw-ins are bad in South Africa.
are losing you don’t change your team.
It is so true - when you are winning
you must introduce new players and
keep the freshness in the squad. Never
let a team get old together - there are
one or two teams getting old together
and you can see it. The results are
not there, they haven’t introduced
younger players while they were
winning . . . When we were winning with
I SuperSport, we brought in [Masibusane]
W Zongo, [Kermit] Erasmus, [Thandani]
I Ntshumayelo, Ronwen WiUiams and
that kept the team fresh.
Is that the reason we don't have many
players moving to Europe?
That’s the bottom hne.They are too
comfortable here and right back to my
statement earher: society has changed.
Our youth has changed; they are spoilt
and they are lazy. You’ve got to want it
more. The ones with huge potential are
generally not achieving anything.
What do you make of Zongo?
If Zongo is honest with himself, he has
failed, hasn’t he? When he came on the
scene in 2008 we played Chiefs and
Daine Klate got injured, so Zongo was
the next in line. I couldn’t play anybody
else and I played him. I believed in
him. He did the simple things, which is
what you want. And the simple things
' in football are the hardest things to
‘ do. Zongo would get the bah, beat the
^ man and cross the bah. His crossing
^ is unbehevable. Jimmy Tau was the
I Chiefs right-back, and I think Jimmy
" is stiU looking for Zongo! We thought ^
^ f
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DECEMBER 2015 KICK'TF 49
LEFTY SHIVAMBU/GALL0IMAGES(1)/TERTIUS PICKARD /GALLO IMAGES(1)/SAMUELSHIVAMBU/BACKPAGEPIX(1)
we had something, but the next game he
started doing things that didn’t apply m
the team. He wanted to play his way. If
you look at that bunch - ‘Bibo’, Kermit,
[Kamohelo] Mokotjo, Ronwen - he was
the best player. But Mokotjo has played
over 100 games in the Dutch League. Bibo
has played maybe 200 games iu the PSL
and he’s won trophies. Kermit played at
Feyenoord - been there, done that. He’s
still scoring for a big team. Ronwen has
been consistent and yet Zongo was the best
in that group. You got to ask yourself why?
People say he’s got flair and yeah, but Pitso
[Mosimane] is right.
Pitso did criticise Zongo's showboating ...
If Zongo gets the ball, beats people and
crosses the ball he is magnificent. He would
kill everybody, because he can pass, he can
play and shoot, but obviously you know he
has his way of playing. Really, do we want
our game to go that way?
Did you watch our Under-17s at the World
Cup? Are there any players you would love
to have at Wits?
Is that really our best Under- 17 side? No,
if we are honest with ourselves. Have we
really gone looking for the best talent
in South Africa? For me, there have got
to be better players. How do we take a
midfielder and play him at full-back? A
national team should never compromise by
playing players out of position. If that’s our
best team, I think we’ve got problems. The
national team is not about coaching, but
it is about selecting. It is about selecting
players who can play a certain way.
And Bafana Bafana?
Bafana is what it is at the moment. It is a
team going through a transitional phase
and the selection of players is interesting.
Everybody is going to criticise the selection,
but certainly there are better players, in my
honest opinion. There certainly has to be
more scrutiny going into the selection.
Some people believe you should coach the
national team. Is that your ambition?
I always said it is something that needs to
be done by an older person - your older
O ^Full name: Gavin John Hunt ►Born: 11/7/64
in Cape Town ►Playing career: Hellenic (1981 -
1994) 302 games, 6 goals; Cape Town Spurs (1993)
11 games ►Coaching career: Seven Stars
(1995-1998); Hellenic (1999-2001); Black Leopards (2001/2002);
Moroka Swallows (2002-2007); SuperSport United (2007-13);
BidvestWits 2013- ►Coaching honours: 1997/1998 First
Division Coastal Stream champion, 01/02, 07/08 PSL Coach of the
Year, 2004 Absa Cup winner; 07/08, 08/09, 09/10 PSL champion,
2012 Nedbank Cup winner
Hunt's PSL record (as at 9/1 1/15)
P
W
D
L
GF
GA
524
226
161
137
699
503
national team coaches are better because of
the frequency of the playing and working
environment. There is not really much
to do besides watching games. I think a
national coach could get more involved in
the teams, maybe watching training a httle
bit more. If you are not sure about a player,
go and watch the training. That has never
happened and that’s something I would
do. Ask about a player if you are not sure.
They have to be more iuteractive, because
what else are they doiug? One coach who
did get it right was Chve [Barker]. He got
the selection right ... he had a balanced
team and the results proved that. Now
with our ranking dropping people don’t
want to play us, but you need to be playing
stronger opposition all the time. He played
Argentina, Germany, Brazil . . . now we play
Swaziland! It is about selection.
Kermit Erasmus said he is 'no back-up
playeF - was that situation created by the
way the team is selected?
Well, something happened that we
haven’t seen and haven’t heard.
Something between Shakes and him.
If there is one person who can score it
is Kermit, even if he plays 20 minutes.
I know him. If you look at the Bafana
bench now, you are saying, ‘Um, there is
not much going on there’. Kermit can
50 KlCWilf DECEMBER 2015
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Better than Benni?
Is Phakamani Mahlambi really better than Benni
McCarthy at 1 8, as you recently stated?
It is hard to compare because the one is done and the
other is just starting. People say I've got rocks in my
head, but Phakamani has more pace, and can shoot
left and right better than Benni. He's got more spring
in the air, he can play in numerous positions and he's
got something Benni never had - Benni couldn't beat
people. But potential means nothing until you turn
it into medals. If this boy can get half of what Benni
achieved, he would be happy. I think he would tick more
boxes than Benni did at 1 8, but that means nothing if he
loses desire. Benni had the attitude to want to achieve.
change a game. So fit or not fit, problems
or no problems, you put your pride in the
pocket, and move on.
What's the situation with Sibusiso Vilakazi?
He started the first nine League games last
season and in comparison, he has started
only five of 10 this season ...
IfVila is honest with himself and I’m honest
with him, he hasn’t been producing. I like
him, but he hasn’t been doing it for us with
the bah or without the ball.
Is it due to off-season transfer rumours?
Any player would be affected by all
the media hype, but we need a fit and
motivated Vilakazi - which we haven’t
had. That’s the bottom line. There is no
tip-toeing around the situation. Of course
he could bounce back. He is 25 and he
needs to regain his hunger, especially for
the game. A lot of footballers fall out of love
with the game. He hasn’t played with a
smile on his face, even at training. He needs
to rekindle that hunger.
But Alex Ferguson said that you should get
rid of such a player ...
[Laughs] Well, then the debate comes.
Players can’t keep moving because
something has gone down at the club. They
should bring back what we had in our day.
We all wanted to move, but we were bound
to the club for life until the Bosman ruling
came in. I signed a registration form in
1981 and I left Hellenic in 1994. 1 wanted
to leave every year. The only time they
allowed you to leave was when they didn’t
want you anymore. Things have changed.
Let's talk about your coaching career. How
was your stay at Black Leopards?
Here, you take a boy from Cape Town, and
you put him in a situation like that. That
was the best thing. The boys at Leopards
had nothing . . . but one thing they had
was hunger and desire. That was the most
pleasurable coaching job that I’ve had in
terms of how they responded. The only
reason we got beat or lost games was
because maybe we weren’t good enough,
but it was never through lack of desire or
heart. I have to thank PavidjThidiela,
because he put faith in me. When I got
there, I will never forget, I said to him,
‘David, we need a few players and he said
to me, ‘No, no, no. You will use these rural
boys’. They got better and there is nothing
easier in the world than coaching a player
who wants to learn. We were never going to
win the League [Leopards finished in the
top eight] because we never had enough
quality, but we were second halfway into
the season. ‘Matari’ [Chris Netshidzivhe]
couldn’t even speak English and he took
me to his house where he was bom next
to a river. And here he is camping in the
Holiday hm and fiying in an aeroplane
talking 4-4-2, 4-3-3 and it was good for me
as a coach to go back to a basic situation.
Being named Coach of the Year must have
been very satisfying?
There was a little bit of resentment towards
it because people were like, ‘What did we
win? ’I felt it was mission accomplished
from what we achieved. We faded at the
end, because we didn’t have the numbers.
So why did you leave?
I got offered an opportunity at Swallows.
They doubled my money and I knew that to
achieve what we achieved again was going
to be very difficult ... It was a footballing
decision. No disrespect to Leopards, but
this was an opportunity at a club with a
bigger stature - even though Leopards were
drawing more crowds. I remember even
when we played Bush Bucks there would be
If Vila is honest with himself and I'm honest
with him, he hasn't been producing.
10 000 people there.
After all you've achieved, do you still have
the hunger for the game?
When I come to training tomorrow
morning for a five-a-side, I want to win.
I will never lose the hunger. I lose hunger
when the players don’t want to get better -
then either the player must go or I go.
How did you do it at SuperSport United?
It was a club that always wanted to achieve
and our recruitment was good. Maybe
we didn’t always get the best players, but
we got the right players. Look at Shane
Poggenpoel. He didn’t get the accolades he
deserved, but he was fantastic for us. I had
players like Daine [Klate], [Elias] Pelembe,
Bongani [Khumalo], Morgan [Gould]...
those were the right players.
A former player of yours once told KICK OFF
it is your dream to coach in England ...
I’ve got a desire to coach in England?
No, no. A lot of coaches will say that they
want to do things and when they get into
situations, they are scared. If you take a
coach and say here is an open chequebook,
they wouldn’t spend the money. I will
spend the money, buy the best players and
put myself under pressure. I want to have
that pressure to win. I don’t want to be the
underdog. So it’s not about England, but
about trying to get to the highest level.
Some people say PSL football is boring
because coaches apply negative tactics ...
The games are quite exciting, but it is
the quality of the final pass. How many
times do you see good movement and
build up? All the players have to do is
cross the ball into the box, and then it is
a mistake or a bad pass. It is more to do
with the quality of the individual in a final
moment. Sundowns have the quality in
the final moment more than anybody else.
Keagan DoUy can play a final pass and
Teko [Modise] is stiU a fantastic player in
the final pass. And that’s all that’s lacking
in South Africa. In the middle third I think
we are as good as anybody else in the world
- the passing, one-twos and moving. In
the defending third, not so good; and the
final third, we are rated at number 150! If
you take a player like Kermit and feed bim
properly, he can score plenty goals.Look at
comers. People go into the area to wait for
the ball, but the ball is 1 0 metres too high
or low or 20 metres away, so the deliverer
is the problem. In the 1980s we had five,
six, seven, eight players scoring 20 goals
and more. Why? Because the delivery was
better. Even throw-ins are bad in South
Africa. So where does it lead you back to?
Development. We need to get more qualified
coaches especially at ground level.
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DECEMBER 2015 KICK'TF 51
WHEN PIRATE
Twenty years ago Orlando Pirates overcame great odds to claim Africa's biggest club
prize, the CAF Champions Cup. Zola Doda reminisces with the heroes of that victory.
T wenty years after the event,
it seems strange to hear one
of Orlando Pirates’ legends of
1995 say “we did not take the
competition seriously” but that
is how the players approached
the African Champions Cup at first.
Edward Motale recalls that at the time
Pirates had no understanding whatsoever
of the challenges of playing in Africa. “It
was great to win the competition, because
at the beginning we didn’t take it seriously.
to be honest with you,” Motale says.
“It was the first time we were playing in
such a tournament and we didn’t really
know what to expect. But the more we
progressed we reahsed that we were com-
peting in a very important tournament and
we became more focused.
“There were so many difficulties we
came across, but we were so determined,
even though there was no prize money.”
December 16 will hold special signifi-
cance for Orlando Pirates this year, as the
club celebrates the 20th anniversary of be-
ing crowned CAF Champions Cup winners
following their 3-2 aggregate win over Asec
Mimosa of Cote d’Ivoire in 1995.
The Buccaneers’ route to African glory
started in Mbabane, Swaziland. Coached
by Mike Makaah, who had guided them to
the League title the year before, they swept
aside Eleven Men in Flight with a 5-0
aggregate score, setting up a clash against
Nigerians BCC Lions.
The first leg was to take place in Makur-
52 KlCWilf DECEMBER 2015
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S WERE KINGS
di. It was to prove an important moment
in Pirates initiation into the trials and
tribulations of playing on the continent.
“When we went to play in Nigeria, the
hotel we stayed in had a nightclub, a disco,
prostitutes and everything. It was hke be-
ing in the middle of HiUbrow. We couldn’t
sleep because people were knocking on our
doors aU the time,”Motale says. “We had to
be strong and every time we experienced
something negative it made us stronger.
Our bond was strong.
In the first leg against BCG Lions,
Arthur Madueme opened the scoring for
the hosts after just two minutes, but Bruce
Ramokadi’s 73rd minute equahser gave
Pirates a vital away goal in what ended
as a 1-1 draw.
It was an impressive result, given that
the referee and match commissioner
spent much of the half-time interval
instructing an assistant referee exactly
when he should raise his flag for offside
when Pirates were on the attack.
In the return leg Brandon Silent’s fifth
minute goal was enough to hand Pirates
a 2-1 aggregate win.
On the domestic scene, however. Pi-
rates were faUing behind in the title race
and Joe Frickleton replaced Makaab.
Frickleton’s first continental match was
a tricky quarter-final first leg away to
Road to the Final
First round. First leg
1 2 March, Mbabane, Swaziland
Eleven Men in Flight 0
Orlando Pirates 3 (Ramokadi30,51 Motale73)
First Round, Second Leg
25 March, Johannesburg
Orlando ?Mes2 (Lane 2 Maponyane 89)
Eleven Men in Flight 0
Second round, first leg
7 May, Makurdi, Nigeria
BCC Lions (1) 1 (Madueme 2)
Orlando Pirates (0) 1 (Ramokadi73)
Second round, second leg
21 May, Johannesburg
Orlando Pirates (1) 1 (Silent 5)
BCC Lions 0
Quarter-final, first leg
10 September, Libreville, Gabon
Mbilinga (1)2 (Adewale W0gandaga89)
Orlando Pirates (0) 1 (Maponyane 50)
Quarter-final, second leg
23 September, Johannesburg
Orlando Pirates (2) 3 (Mkhalele 1 1 Silent 29 Sikhosana
89)
Mbilinga 0
Semi-final, first leg
1 4 March, Johannesburg
Orlando Pirates (0) 1 (Sikhosana 52)
Express 0
Semi-final, second leg
28 October, Uganda
Express (0) 1 (Arinaitwe65)
Orlando Pirates (0) 1 (Lane 89)
1995 CAF Champions Cup Final, First Leg
Saturday, 2 December
At FNB Stadium
Orlando Pirates (2) 2 (Mkhalele 5 Lane 42)
Asec Abidjan (2) 2 (7aki 18Sie31)
Dismissal: Mncwango 36
Pirates: Williams Okpara, Edward Motale, PhiriTsotetsi,
Mark Fish, Gavin Lane, John Moeti (DumisaNgobe86th),
Innocent Mncwango, Brandon Silent, Helman Mkhalele,
Marc Batchelor (Bruce Ramokadi 81st), Jerry Sikhosana
Coach: Joe Frickleton
Second Leg
Saturday, 16 December
In Abidjan
Asec Abidjan 0
Orlando Pirates (0) 1 (Sikhosana 73)
Pirates: Williams Okpara, Edward Motale, Phiri
Tsotetsi, Mark Fish, Gavin Lane, John Moeti, Vincent
Sokhela (Bernard Lushozi 77th), Brandon Silent, Helman
Mkhalele, Bruce Ramokadi (Marc Batchelor 54), kny
Sikhosana
Coach: Ronald Mkhandawire
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DECEMBER 2015 KICK'TF 53
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The first leg of the Final was scheduled
for FNB Stadium, and according to former
Pirates goalkeeper Williams Okpara;
“Asec came here thinking they would win
comfortably. They were favourites because
of their track record.”
But the Ivorians got a shock when
Mkhalele opened the score inside five min-
utes - cutting in from the left wing to curl
the ball inside the far post.
“I didn’t touch the ball for four minutes
and I was so frustrated because I wanted to
get into the game,” Mkhalele recalls. “But
with my first touch I played a combination
with Jerry and scored the opening goal
and that changed everything.”
But ‘everything’ quickly changed again.
Pirates began to lose their way in midfield
and panic at the back as Asec got into
their groove.
Nigerian striker John Zaki equalised in
the 18th minute before Donald Sie made it
2-1 for the visitors on the half hour. It got
worse a few minutes later when captain In-
nocent Mncwango was sent off for a stamp.
Pirates were down to 10 men and chasing
the match.
Lane saved the day with another headed
goal, three minutes before the interval, but
as the match ended 2-2, Asec remained
firm favourites to clinch the trophy in the
second leg.
To make things worse for the dejected
Pirates fans, some sections of the local
media showed complete ignorance of the
away-goal rule, and informed readers that
away goals count double - meaning that
Asec Mimosa were leading 4-2!
That was quickly cleared up, but
when Khoza fired Frickleton for pubfi-
cally criticising the club, things began to
look bad again. Assistant coach Ronald
Mkhandawire was put in charge for the
most important match in the club’s history.
With captain Mncwango suspended, the
inexperienced Mkhandawire taking the
reins, and a partisan crowd awaiting them
in Abidjan, Pirates looked doomed.
“On Tuesday before we left for Abidjan
I received a call from Irvin Khoza saying
I would be the captain in the second leg,”
Motale says. “He told me to lead the team
by example and I told him I knew the
other guys were going to support me all
the way. We got to Abidjan on Wednesday
and we could see from the day we landed
that something big was going to happen.
Their fans were everywhere, singing and
dancing, wearing their club colours.
“On the day of the match the excite-
ment was in the air. We needed to win;
they needed just a 1-1 or goalless draw.
When the match started they were kick-
ing balls out and wasting time because
there were only about three ball boys. At ^
half-time our guys were panicking because i
Moroka Swallows, Ria Stars and Avendale
Athletko. He is a community coach and mentor
in Gauteng.
John Moeti
Midfield dynamo Moeti won the 1991 JPS Cup
with Dynamos, but it was at Pirates that his career
took off and he became one of the most respected
figures in football. He later went on to play for
SuperSport United before retiring in 2002. He now
does church missionary work in Limpopo.
Dumisa Ngobe
Called Isiphithiphithi'for his ability to get up and
down for the entire 90 minutes, Ngobe played
in the quarter-finals, semi-finals and as a sub in
the first leg of the Final. In 2013, he had a spell
coaching Tshwane University of Technology's
eMalahleni Campus team. Now works for the
eMalahleni Municipality as a consultant.
Innocent Mncwango
An accomplished midfielder, Mncwango captained
Pirates, but missed the second leg of the Final
after getting sent off. He later played for AmaZulu.
He is now a prison warder at Johannesburg Prison.
Helman Mkhalele
Alongside Fish and Mncwango, 'Midnight Express'
was in the Jomo Cosmos team that played in the
1 993 Cup Winners Cup. He later played in Turkey.
In September 2015 Mkhalele was in Germany for
a coaching course, and when South Africa played
Angola in the Chan qualifiers, he was assistant
coach.
Brandon Silent
Made his professional debut for Vaal Reefs Stars
in 1992. The goal 'Sgcebhezana' scored against
Mbilinga ranks as one of his finest ever. He only
missed one match in the 1995 Champions Cup. A
qualified accountant. Silent is now a member of
the coaching staff at North-West University.
Ernest Makhanya
'Botsotso'Makhanya was the darling of the
Buccaneers fans, but when Pirates campaigned
in Africa, the midfielder was in the twilight of his
career and he only played in the first two rounds.
Makhanya passed away in September 2009 aged 49.
MandlaZwane
Midfielder Mandia Zwane came on as substitute
for Bruce Ramokadi in the first match against
Eleven Men in Flight, but soon after left to join
Portuguese side FC Porto, where a young Jose
Mourinho was an assistant coach. After returning
from Europe, Zwane played for SuperSport United,
Manning Rangers, FC AK, Black Leopards and
Mpumalanga Black Aces. He is Bradley Carnell's
assistant coach at the University of Johannesburg.
56 KICK'TF DECEMBER 2015
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The Power of Dreams
TERTIUS PICKARD/GALLO IMAGESdVLEFTYSHIVAMBU/GALLOIMAGESd)
they wanted to score, but I said to them,
‘Let’s rather lose on away goals, let us not
concede,’ because I could feel there was an
element of desperation.”
Then in the 73rd minute. Fish hoofed a
clearance over the halfway hne and, with
Sikhosana giving chase two Ivorian de-
fenders colhded. ‘Legs of Thunder’ was left
free to gallop through and plant the ball
past the goalkeeper. The stadium fell silent.
When the match restarted, Asec franti-
cally laid siege to Okpara’s goal.
With less than 15 minutes remain-
ing, Khoza got a message down to
Mkhandawire - bring on another de-
fender!
Veteran hardman Bernard ‘Shooz’
Lushozi was sent on to stem the flow, and
if need be, destroy everything in sight -
and that is exactly what he did.
“To be honest, I was scared when I came
on,” Lushozi says. “When you come on
in a match of that magnitude you don’t
have the time to settle down — those 15
minutes felt hke an hour. We were really
under pressure and I remember when I
cleared the first ball I miss-kicked it, but
fortunately we had a great defence and a
great goalkeeper.
“Our players were briUiant, and with a
bit of luck we scored and won the most im-
portant trophy in Pirates’ history. 20 years
later people are stiU talking about it.”
Against all odds the Buccaneers won 3-2
on aggregate, and Motale became the first
captain in Southern Africa to lift the CAP
Champions Cup, now known as the CAT
Champions League trophy.
When the team landed back in South
Africa, the players received a heroes’
welcome. They also went on to win the
CAT Super Cup, beating Algerian side JS
Kahyle 1-0 thanks to Ramokadi’s goal.
“We were celebrated hke superstars
- the country was united,” Motale says.
“That is the proudest moment of my career
because we represented our country and I
hfted the trophy.”
Mkhalele says playing for Jomo Cosmos
in the 1994 CAT Cup Winners’ Cup helped
him a lot.
“That experience played a huge role
guys hke Mark Fish were there too. That
is where we learned how to fight because
when we came back we had to play in
the League. That season Cosmos were
relegated, but I took my experience to Or-
lando Pirates, a team that had unity and
courage,” Mkhalele says.
“Pirates’ victory in 1995 was not hke an
individual performance. We had a great
team and fighting spirit. I was the target in
most of our games and guys hke Lushozi
and Lane protected me all the way ... I
only had to focus on my performance.”
Lushozi beheves that a team of Pirates’
cahbre should have won the trophy again
by now.
“Back then, we were not aware that
the tournament was big. We had only just
come back from isolation and didn’t have
a clue about how big the tournament was.
This generation should know that, and
they should give their best to win it,” he
says.
“The present team have a chance of
winning, but there are certain things the
coaching staff must teU these players. They
can’t play well in Africa and then come
back and lose matches in the PSL.
“They need to handle the transition of
playing in two competitions. They need
to bring that mentahty of CAF home and
beat local competitors. To win in Africa
and then a play draw with Platinum Stars
makes it look hke a fluke.” M
Vincent Sokhela
Sokhela made one appearance in the campaign
- in the match that mattered, in Abidjan in
place of the suspended Mncwango. Sokhela,
who joined from Umtata Bush Bucks, went on to
achieve more success with Santos where he won
the Bob Save Super Bowl and the League title.
He now works as a coach of a Vodacom team in
Ladysmith.
Tebogo Moloi
In 1995 Moloi featured against Eleven Men in
Flight and BCC Lions, before joining Colombian
side Once Caldas. Later returned to Pirates and
remains at the club today, as assistant coach.
Marc Batchelor
The former Wits striker started the first leg of the
Final against Asec and came on as a substitute in
the second leg. Those were the only two matches
'Batch' played for Pirates in Africa that season.
He later played for SuperSport United and Kaizer
Chiefs. He lives in Johannesburg.
Jerry Sikhosana
Sikhosana's winning goal against Asec was
enough to put his name in the history books.
Sikhosana played for Giant Blackpool and
Witbank Aces before joining Pirates and later
turned out for Yunnan Hongta in China and
AmaZulu before a brief return to Pirates in
2000/01 and stints at Tembisa Classic and City
Sharks. Later coached at City Pillars and now
works at SuperSport as a TV pundit.
Bruce Ramokadi
In 1995 Ramokadi was an up-and-coming
youngster. The son of former Kaizer Chiefs
goalkeeper Joseph 'Banks' Sethlodi, he made
three starts and seven substitute appearances
during the CAF campaign. Injury hampered
his career and he rarely played in the next two
seasons, but enjoyed a revival in 1997/98 when
he scored 1 1 goals. He was loaned to Cape
Town Spurs the next year, then joined Manning
Rangers before returning to Pirates in 2001 .
Later joined Jerry Sikhosana at Pietersburg
Pillars in 2004. He now works for the Department
of Sport and Recreation.
Marks Maponyane
When legendary Chiefs striker Maponyane
joined Pirates from Dynamos in 1993, many fans
thought he was past his sell-by date. He proved
them wrong - scoring 1 8 goals as Pirates won
the League in 1994 and winning the first KICK
OFF Footballer of the Year award. He scored two
goals in Pirates' Champions Cup campaign but
did not play in the Final. Maponyane joined Wits
University where he retired in 1997. These days
works as a TV pundit for SABC.
58 KICK'TF DECEMBER 2015
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hat was the ingredient
that made Kaizer Chiefs
the only South African
club to lift the trophy
that carries the name of
former president Nelson Mandela when
they won the African Cup Winners’ Cup in
2001 ?
Most people will point to the
undoubted individual talents of Jabu
Pule, Brian Baloyi, Doctor Khumalo and
Arthur Zwane, but that team’s coach
and Zwane himself say there was more to
that success than meets the eye.
After a 1 - 1 draw in Luanda, Chiefs
beat InterClube of Angola 1-0 at Ellis
Park to win the ‘Mandela Cup’ 2-1 on
aggregate.
Between the away and return leg,
Amakhosi had to play the Coca-Cola Cup
Final against Jomo Cosmos. They thumped
Cosmos 5-0 to add two more prizes to the
BP Top 8 Cup they had won a few months
earher. Three months - three trophies.
60 KlCWilf DECEMBER 2015
visit www.kickoff.com
InterClube 1
Chiefs 1
24 November, 2001
Coca-Cola Cup
Chiefs 5
Jomo Cosmos 0
1 December, 2001
Nelson Mandela
Cup, second leg
Chiefs 1
InterClube 0
Chiefs' three Cup
Final wins in 2001:
1 September, 2001
BP Top 8 Cup
Chiefs 2
Sundowns 2
Chiefs win 7-6 on
penalties
17 November, 2001
Nelson Mandela
Cup, first leg
Wing wonder Zwane, known as
‘101 ir, summarises those incredibly
testing months best: “This success was all
about character. We knew that we had to
dig deeper and we knew that we could.
It was that type of squad. And everybody
could play too, what a talented bunch of
players.”
THE VAT ALLES SEASON
Aside from playing successive cup finals
in the space of just a few weeks, other
hurdles stood before Kaizer Chiefs in
2001, including travelling all over the
African continent and coming up against
teams more experienced in African club
competition than they were.
“We won the Coca-Cola Cup, the Top 8
and the Africa Cup. Four cup final matches
was very tough for us. You have to credit
the team,” Chiefs’ coach at the time Muhsin
Ertugral says.
“Club Africain had not lost in this cup
at their home ground for ten years and
Egypt’s Ismaily were also very good at the
time and not a team used to losing.
“I recall that to overcome Ismaily and
Club Africain was very big. We had a pohce
escort to help us get out of the stadiums.
Home and away was very tough for us
because we were not very experienced
when it came to playing in Africa.
“But we had a young Bobby Motaung,
I think in his second season with us.
Bobby always flew in early, and sorted out
everything at the away venue. He went
three days early to Angola, Egypt and
Tunisia so things were perfect when we got
there. It was a highly organised operation.
“It is said that success breeds success -
from the chairman to the grass cutter at
our training fields, everything was smooth,”
says Ertugral, the current head coach of
Mpumalanga Black Aces.
“The 2001 period was a moment when
you just hoped that time could stand stiU. I
jokingly told my wife back then that it was
‘time to stop our watches’.
“I had a wonderful team with superb
individuals. They followed tactics, but they
also added their own skills and ideas on
the field. Fantastic men.”
Zwane also points to the work done by
management to set up Vat AUes.
“Our management deserved credit for
assembling this squad, which is never an
easy thing. It all paid off eventually. The
season before we did not win silverware,
so the following campaign we wanted to
fix this. And we did. It was a great honour
to win the Cup Winners’ Cup named after
Nelson Mandela,” Zwane says.
“We had great support from the
chairman, the board of directors,
our coach and his team and also the
supporters. Everyone pulled their weight in
the same direction.
“It was tough in Africa - teams made
it hard, especially when it came to
travelling and accommodation,” Zwane
continues. “We faced challenges, but we
pulled through because of character.
Our chairman also travelled with us to
Egypt and Angola ... he was with us and
motivated us. He wanted it badly and we
did not want to disappoint him.
“What made this group special was
everyone’s commitment, and the players’
character. We really knew how to dig deep.
We had lots of talent, sure, but players
always wanted to make the fans smile. We
wanted to win it all. We knew who was
behind us.”
THE SECRET RECIPE
“I tell the players of today’s generation:
‘Talent will only take you so far. But
you need to put in the hard work too’,”
continues Zwane, who is a youth coach
at Naturena.
Zwane can speak with authority to
the younger generation. As a player, he
put himself through a rigorous training
schedule.
“I would train four times a day. At
Gam I’d do some sprint training for
endurance. Then home for a shower and
breakfast and to the Village for training
at 10am with the team. Then I’d go home
and sleep a bit, eat lunch and back to
train with the team in the afternoon at
4pm. Before this session. I’d run a bit
and prepare myself to be warm by the
time the session starts. Then I’d go home
and rest, and then do roadwork in the
evening. I’d take a nice run, then go
home and stretch and eat. By 1 0pm it
was lights out.
“There was a time when I did this for
almost a full season. I would rest and
slow this training down, but only around
long trips like to Venda or Cape Town or
for the Africa club competition. I always
wanted to play for Chiefs so I never
wanted to disappoint!”
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DECEMBER 2015 KICK'TF 61
Ertugrars stairs
THECUPWINNER'S CUP FINAL
AmaMiosi forced a 1-1 draw with
InterClube m the first leg m Luanda and
had little trouble winning the return leg in
Johannesburg, even though it took a last
minute penalty - a rather soft one at that -
to secure the win, central defender Patrick
Mabedi converting from the spot in the
dying seconds. It should be noted that Chiefs
would have stOl won on the away goals rule
if the second leg had ended goalless.
But going into the Final, Chiefs had only
15 players to choose from for the game,
including two goalkeepers, because of
injuries and suspensions.
They only played with a single striker
and were unable to convert the numerous
chances they created from midfield where
Jabu Pule was pulling the strings.
“The Angolans were very physical. In the
first leg away, we scored first [through Luke
Juldlile], and they replied. Then we had to
defend, but we held on and our away goal
was vital,” Ertugral says.
“By the home leg we could feel the
pressure because the trophy was called the
Nelson Mandela Cup and South Africans
expected us to win it.
“Madiha came to see us three days later
which was a fantastic moment for the
team. The season before was the EUis Park
disaster ... that image of the young boy
who had lost his father and brother in the
stampede, sitting on the chairman’s lap, that
will forever be etched in our memories.”
Zwane remembers the 2001 Final as a
major milestone in his career.
“Remember that in between the two legs
of the Africa Cup Final, we had to play the
Coke Cup Final. So it was very tough. We
played the first leg away in Angola, then
flew home for the Coke Final with Jomo
Cosmos, and then we hosted the Angolans
for the second leg - aU inside two weeks!
“But what people won’t know is what it
was like on tour in Africa and the character
you have to show to find success. The hotel
where we slept in Angola had bullet holes in
the walls, so if you were not mentally strong
"THERE were just so many top, top players. Starting
with Jabu Pule - 1 have never seen a better talent in
South Africa. Simply a revelation. We had so many, but
with Arthur Zwane and Marco Mthembu on the wings,
it was just wave after wave coming at you. They were
attack masters," Ertugral says.
"You had Patrick Mabedi and Cyril Nzama - strong
characters and quality defenders. Mabedi was a special
defender. If you dribbled him he was so quick to recover,
and he'd get back and catch you to make the tackle.
Nzama was powerful and strong, he and Zwane formed
a great combination down the right.
"Then you add the class of Doctor Khumalo - all his
experience in the middle, and often Patrick Mbuthu next
to him adding strength. What about Thabo Mooki? One
of the most special players I have coached. I think Mooki
is not mentioned enough in South Africa. Brian Baloyi - a
more than special goalkeeper. Had he not broken through
so late, I think he was around 26, then his goalkeeping
career would have reached greater heights."
ThecostofVatAlles
KAIZER Chiefs finished outside the Top Eight for
the first time ever when they could only attain
ninth place in May 2002. "All the cup action and
success; the travelling really took so much out of
the bodies and the minds of the players. But we
also became the CAP Team of the Year for 2001
across the whole continent, so this was a great
achievement." Ertugral paid the ultimate price,
however, when he lost his job in November 2002.
this could put fear in you. But because
of the type of men in our squad, this just
motivated us to keep fighting,” Zwane
recalls.
“There was a nightclub next door to the
hotel and one night a lady came to our
door. She started speaking Portuguese and
because I could speak a little bit from my
time in Brazil, I asked what she wanted. It
turned out she was a prostitute and she was
trying to distract us from the game.
“My roommate Cyril Nzama and I just
laughed and asked her to leave us because
we knew they were playing games with us.
“Then in the home leg of the Final I
remember getting an elbow and cutting my
eye. I went off for a while as I was bleedmg
heavily and the late doctor Phil Maepa put
this glue on my face to keep it from bleeding
more. I had so much sweUing and could not
see properly.
“But these were great memories because
we had so much talent in the team and
everyone was wOfing to add value and wm
at all costs.” M
62 KICK;:YF DECEMBER 2015
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• Pauw has been
married to former
Sunderland assistant
coach Bert van Lingen
since 1994. They have
no children.
• She played and
captained the Dutch
women's national
team and made
89 international
appearances.
• PauwhasaUefa
Pro-Licence, as well as
a video analysis Pro-
• When she served
as Technical Director/
Coach from October
2004 -April 2010, she
was involved in the
creation of the Premier
League for women in
the Netherlands.
• She authored
the bookOe
voetbalvrouwen komen
erofl/j ("The soccer
women are arriving at
the top").
6>f KICK'TF DECEMBER 2015
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Eight years ago Banyana Banyana coach Vera Pauw had a
feeling she was going to end up in South Africa coaching the
national team. She shares this story and more with KICK OFF.
BYTIYANI WA KA MABASA
KICK OFF: Firstly, how has your stay been
in South Africa and what do you like best?
PAUW: I love the country, I love the
warmth of the people. Most people are so
enthusiastic about our team. There is no
place on the planet where the women’s
team is so part of the community. For my
husband and me, the best place to be is
Vilakazi Street in Soweto.
When you were approached, did you have
any doubts about coaching in Africa? And
what attracted you to Banyana Banyana?
I came with the Netherlands to play in
South Africa in 2007. Back then I said
to myself that somehow I would end up
coaching in South Africa - 1 felt as if there
was a special hnk between me and the
country. It was just a strange feehng. So
when I was approached, I was immediately
open for discussions. The first training
camp was with 42 players and was
organised for the week after I arrived. After
five days I loved the players already. When
it is necessary to improve the performance,
I can be firm in my coaching. But that has
nothing to do with my feehngs for these
players. I wiU always love them no matter
what happens.
What did you like most about Safa's
proposal to you?
The ambition that spoke of the mandate
to quahfy for the World Cup, and the
principle choice to go for it with female
coaches. Germany is the only other
country that has chosen female coaches
only on women’s teams. The president. Dr
[Danny] Jordaan, was very clear. If Safa
does not make a choice on it, where else
can women develop as coaches? We need
the experience in this game, so we have to
give women the opportunity to share this
experience with young players.
Regarding the Banyana job, it was
interesting to hear players such as Janine
van Wyk saying they didn't want you to go.
So if you didn't qualify for the Olympics,
do you think you would have quit?
The players know that I hve in South
Africa without my husband. That is a huge
sacrifice, so if we did not qualify for Rio
we would have failed to reach the mandate
for the second time [after faihng to quahfy
for the World Cup], so the chance would
have been big that I would have returned
home because my contract would have
ended. It would have been fair if Safa
made that choice. If you don’t quahfy for
the second time in a row in sport, then
the unwritten law is to try something else.
I would have fuhy accepted that without
any hard feehngs. A coach signs a contract
being conscious of the mandate. I never
understand when coaches then afterwards
act as if they are unfairly treated when the
organisation acts according to the contract.
But we have quahhed and the best is stih
to come!
Glad to hear that. Why do you think
the players responded to your coaching
methods so well?
I think you should ask the players why.
I can only guess and I feer‘trust”is the
key word. We trust each other. We went
through a lot and I think they feel they
can trust me 100 percent that everything
I do is meant to benefit the team. I stand
for them and I beheve in them. I probably
beheve more in their talents than they
do themselves. I know they can grow to
world class level if they are offered the
opportunity to develop. I use everything I
have to offer to help them become better
players. I hope my experience helps in
that.
And how did you feel about qualifying?
It was magic and a feehng I have never
experienced before and wiU never
experience again. It was more intense
than when I quahhed for the hnals of a
tournament with the Netherlands for the ^
news on your phone: kickoff.com/mobile
DECEMBER 2015 KICK'TF 65
first time ever after 25 years of fighting
against all odds. In the Netherlands it was
a luxury to finally reach the goal. In South
Africa it wiU mean a different hfe for these
fantastic players. We wiU do everything to
show the world that we have something
special to offer, quahties that do not exist
in the current top level professional club
teams. I beheve that after the Olympics
several players wiU earn contracts abroad
if we manage to set up an optimal
preparation program.
How did you and the ladies manage to
qualify despite all the difficulties?
We have developed in aU aspects, from the
sense of teamwork and the executions of
the tasks in it to carrying responsibihty
for the team on each shoulder, player
or staff member. It has been a project of
step-by-step growth to the maximal team
performance. This can be a painful process
because each of us, including players and
staff, has to step out of our comfort zone to
be able to step into the unknown. It is nice
to feel comfortable. But top sports people
can only succeed under pressure. That in
itself creates resistance because the nature
of the individual is to look for comfort. It
isn’t comfortable to have a 40 000-strong
crowd against you with the knowledge that
that is the only chance to quahfy for the
Olympic Games - your dream. That is why
you need to trust each other completely; to
know if one makes a mistake, someone else
will be there to make it good. Only then
you will lose the fear of making mistakes
and you can act freely. You have to know
that you are appreciated as an individual
with aU your quahties and shortcomings.
Banyana qualifying for the Olympics for
the second time is great, but what must
be done for us to compete rather than just
add to the numbers as in 2012?
As soon as the programme is ready, we
wiU announce it and explain what and
when we plan to do things. Key is that we
have to grow further. We should not lose
anything of what we have built so far and
from there we have to grow to unknown
levels. It is possible and we have the talent.
Qualifying was your first challenge. What
will be your next big task with Banyana
How they qualified
Saturday, 23 May 201 5
At Stade Augustin Monedan, Libreville, Gabon
Gabon (1)2
South Africa (2) 3 (JermoineSeoposenwe2, SonohMollo)
Sunday, 31 May 201 5
At Dobsonville Stadium
South Africa (3) 5 (Jermaine Seoposenwe 2, Amanda
DIamini, RefiloeJane, SanatiMollo)
Gabon 0
Saturday, 18 July 201 5
At Dobsonville Stadium
South Africa (0) 1 (Lebohang Ramalepe)
Kenya 0
Sunday, 2 August 201 5
At Machakos Stadium, Machakos, Kenya
Kenya 0
South Africa (0) 1 (Rhoda Mulaudzi)
Saturday, 3 October 2015
At Makhulong Stadium
South Africa 0
Equatorial Guinea 0
Sunday, 1 8 October 201 5
AtEstadiode Bata, Bata
Equatorial Guinea 0
South Africa (0) 1 (Jermaine Seoposenwe)
or women's football in general in South
Africa?
A national league will be crucial for
continuity after the Olympic Games.
The Olympics should not be an isolated
challenge, but the moment to become
a powerhouse of women’s football in
the world. Sponsors should realise the
potential and the impact of this team. It
is rewarding to connect your brand to us
and we will prove that! All dominating
countries have professional leagues
and contracts for their best players.
We need a full pyramid of our football
structure. We miss the top. Only if the
full structure is in place, we can develop
and expand every aspect of the game.
Amanda DIamini is absolutely right
in saying that. Even the Netherlands
could only make the next step after
creating a league connected to the men’s
professional clubs. It is time South Africa
makes that choice too. It just opens the
doors to opportunities of sponsoring
and support. Professional clubs will
become true community clubs when
they pick up the responsibility for
the development of the most talented
players of the biggest sport for both
men and women in the world. M
The Olympics should be the moment to ■■
II become a powerhouse of women's football, ww
66 KICK'TF DECEMBER 2015
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Iff I I Stand the chance to hit
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House music maestro Black Coffee
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the immense pulling power the
internationally acclaimed producer &
DJ possesses.
An eye for
modern flair
Stuff we like
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72 KICK-YF DECEMBER 2015
visit www.kickoff.com
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A t the peak of Ms career
ex-Mamelodi Sundowns
midfielder Brent Carelse
dribbled past defenders
with silky ease, using his
trademark body swerve and
acceleration to good effect.
Driving the Chevrolet
Trailblazer around Cape Town’s
District Six draws distinct
similarities - the midfielder is
happy behind the wheel and
beats the bends with no trouble
at all.
“This is by far one of the
most comfortable cars I have
ever driven,” Carelse says.
“It drives really well for such
a big car. I also own a SUV
- my car is a Land Rover
Discovery - so I’m used to
driving high and proud. But
this is special. A car like this
is good for long distances or
when you go camping with
family and children. It’s a
seven-seater, so there’s enough
space for everyone. The inside
is spacious. Obviously it
doesn’t take off as quickly as a
small car, but once you hit the
freeway it fiies, and I like that.”
Carelse began his career
at the age of ten in Westbury,
Johannesburg, before joining
Safa’s School of Excellence in
1994. When Bafana Bafana
played Zambia in May 1994
in honour of President Nelson
Mandela’s inauguration,
Carelse played in a curtain-
raiser match featuring the
school. A few years later he
moved to Cape Town where he
joined Hellenic and made his
professional debut. As he grew
older, his style of play matured
with age - and so did his
choice for cars.
“The way you play football
changes with age and the same
applies when it comes to cars,”
Carelse explains.
“As a young player, it’s all
about excitement and playing
for fun, but as you grow older
you adjust your pace and play
according to your age. I learned
to drive in a small car - a Fiat
Uno - and used it to take my
driver’s test.
“My first car was a Jumbo
Golf, then a Honda Civic and
then a BMW Compact - it
was comfortable and sporty,
I used it a lot for day-to-day
driving like going to training.
It’s a great young man’s car.
Obviously now I’m older;
I have a wife and kids so a
SUV is more applicable to my
lifestyle.
“This Trailblazer is ideal; a
family car that makes life easy
because there’s everything you
need inside including all the
best technology and safety.
There’s a great music system
too - obviously important -
and plenty of space for the
kids.”
After spending eight years in
Cape Town playing for Hellenic
and Ajax Cape Town, Carelse
joined mega-rich Sundowns.
At Sundowns he won three
trophies before joining
SuperSport United where he
won three League titles. In
2012, Carelse returned to Cape
Town, re-joining Ajax.
So Cape Town or Jozi?
“In Johannesburg people
are more patient because they
are used to sitting in traffic,
but Cape Town, eish, they are
different. They sit in traffic
for five minutes and they are
already panicking. But either
place, if you have to be in
traffic, this car is the best -
play music, relax, it’s big in
here. Comfort is what I like the
most, and I like the reversing
camera and the leather seats.”
Carelse is completely relaxed
commandeering the big Chev.
He has been off-road up a
near- vertical incline -“Jeeez,
noooo problem!”- and cruised
the highways. As we head back
he’s in reflective mood.
“Unlike driving this car,
my career was not always so
comfortable,” the player says,
laughing.
“I had ups and downs and
obviously winning the titles
with Sundowns and SuperSport
rank high. Now I want to coach
the youth, I really enjoy that,
and want to give back to the
community. After all, that’s how
I got my break.”
CHEVROLET
74 KICK:YF DECEMBER 2015
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@ FORTHE READERS BY THE READERS
I heard Phil Maslnga saying
Bra Shakes must turn to
youth. It is a good statement,
but what about clubs that re-
main reluctant to give young-
sters a chance? I can only
single out Ajax Cape Town
who have no fear in giving
youth a chance. It's proven to
be a recipe for success judging
by their recent Cup success.
These players deserve more
coverage. Ajax's set-up needs
to be taught countrywide for
the survival and revival of
the game we all love. If we
continue to ignore this model,
Bafana Bafana will forever be
in trouble.
Mxolisi Ngongoma,
Maclear
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STAR IHTER
WHAT YOUTH MUST SHAKES TO TURN TO?
Make your point to the nation
To air your views, send your letters to Kick Off, People's Forum, PO Box 1 6368,
Vlaeberg, 8018 or e-mail them to forum@kickoff.com
The views expressed in the letters published in People's Forum do not reflect the views of KICK OFF magazine, its editor, publisher or Media24.
The editor reserves the right to edit and shorten letters. Letters shorter than 200 words will be given preference.
Bafana need Kermit
Shakes Mashaba might not want Kermit
Erasmus in his squad for whatever
reason, but Bafana Bafana need him for
his aggression, skill, scoring ability and
work rate. Even the hardest of critics
will agree that the Bucs striker should be
playing for Bafana. It’s time the coach
swallows his pride and buries the hatchet
for the sake of the national team. If
Shakes can forgive players who previously
refused call-ups, Erasmus shouldn’t be
treated differently.
Sipho Buthelezi,Vosloorus
Some more equal
than others
Based on my observation, accessing
established development academies
requires capital more than talent.
Academies have to reduce their joining
fees because we can’t afford them. We
suffer because people with money take
shortcuts by bribing coaches to play their
children in some instances. Township boys
don’t get opportunities because of the
bad name certain former players from our
communities have given the rest of us. I
plead with coaches to give kasi youngsters
a chance to play. Contrary to belief, they
are disciplined and only need equal
opportunities.
KGMndebele
Let's be honest
Pule Ekstein is 25-years-old and hardly
has a record worth mentioning. Look at
Dede Ayew for instance: He is 26-years-
old, has over 65 caps for Ghana, plays
in the Premier League and has won a
host of accolades. With a CV like that,
he’s a grown man, yet in SA we are still
calling the likes of Ekstein youngsters.
Completely pathetic! I respect Pitso for
fielding an Under-23 player hke Keagan
Dolly. He has balls unlike another coach
who still doubts a 25-year-old’s talent by
not playing him regularly. This can’t be
the case if we claim to be making progress
as a country football-wise.
Tebogo 'Tebza' Ngwana, via Kick0ff.com
Komphela must fall
I have been watching you try fill the big
shoes of former Kaizer Chiefs coaches and
thought you’d eventually come right, but
you have failed completely Mr Komphela.
Chiefs are playing their worst football
76 KICK-YF DECEMBER 2015
visit www.kickoff.com
TALKING POINT •RIP Cecil Lolo
Lolo was underrated
Cecil Lolo was an all-round key player
for Ajax, but also one of the most
underrated players in the League. He
played a huge role contributing to
Ajax’s MTN8 final win. He was in the
prime of his career when death claimed
him. His presence will be dearly missed
on and off the pitch. Rest in peace
Sonwabile.
Raymond Isaacs, Dibeng
Ajax are a disgrace
Cecil Lolo was their player and a
teammate to many more. Financial
support doesn’t equate to emotional
support for Lolo’s family. How could
they make excuses about having to
travel long distances on bad roads? I
bet if Lolo was from the suburbs, they
would have made a plan. He played
his heart out for Ajax and even helped
them secure the MTN8, but they
thank him hke this? Chippa must be
applauded for doing what Ajax failed
to do.
Abongile Mpinga Gqola, via Facebook
Ajax showed Ubuntu
Grieving for the departed is a personal
thing and should not be used as a pubhcity
stunt. Ajax did what they felt they had
to do. Players should take responsibihty.
Even Senzo didn’t have funeral cover!
Ajax gave the boy a dignified sending
off which his own family wasn’t able to
provide. If I was to pass away today, would
it mean my CEO, managers and colleagues
are obhged to come to my funeral? Thank
you Ajax for showing Ubuntu.
King Capi,
via KickOff.com
Ajax doesn't get it
That’s how hfe is in the former Transkei
area - we travel long distances on very
bad dirt roads. And yes, travelling in 4X4s
at times is the only way to negotiate such
roads. That’s no excuse for the players not
making the trip to pay their last respects to
Lolo. Clubs need to look after their players
and offer packages that include pension,
medical aid and the hkes.
Zininzi Mpurwana,
via Facebook
No initiative from
the players
I don’t remer^er being sent an invitation
to a funeral. Ajax’s players should
have handed in leave forms inforrning
management they are attending a funeral.
The players are adults too and must think
for themselves. Club management played
their part by organising two memorial
services, sending money for the funeral,
groceries and a trust fund for Lolo’s kids.
TshepoThysMagane
Paying last respects
is priceless
Thank you Roger De Sa for going to
great lengths to explain what Ajax did
for Cecil Lolo after his death. While the
club’s efforts were significant, paying
one’s last respects to the departed is
extremely vital. The absence of the
players at the funeral wiU not be easily
forgotten despite aH the material
contributions.
L-Professore Makatise,
via Facebook
news on your phone: kickoff.com/mobile
DECEMBER 2015 KICK'YF 77
SAMUEL SHIVAMBU/BACKPAGEPIX(1)/CHRISRICC0/BACKPAGEPIX(1)/EMPICSSP0RT(1)/SYDNEYMAHLANGU/BACKPAGEPIX(1)
in recent years. Even the games you’ve
won have not been convincing. You don’t
change tactics when the game demands
and your substitutions are wrong (evident
in the MTN8 Final and the League derby).
We have depth sir, so use other players
when your current regulars are not
performing!
Ezra Hlatshwayo, Nelson Mandela Bay
South Africa needs
introspection
In years gone by, South Africa used to
produce top quality players who
would go on to compete pound-for-pound
with the best in the world.
Sadly, the country has failed to export
world class players in recent times. Those
who are shipped to big leagues overseas
these days often find themselves on the
bench or eventually loaned out to teams
in lower divisions. South Africa needs to
dig deep into the past to find out what
was done right in terms of developing top
quality players. If thorough introspection
is done. I’m sure the country wiU get right
back on track.
Siboniso Zwane, Manzini, Swaziland
Tackles kill careers
We all understand that football is a
contact sport, however I strongly believe
the PSL and Safa should intervene more
vigorously to protect players against
malicious tackles. Fresh in my mind is
Thulani Hlatshwayo’s bone- crunching
tackle on Sifiso Myeni. Once a player
gets injured, he misses out on potential
win bonuses, match appearance fees and
other incentives while the perpetrator
gets away with murder. A two -match
ban does not equate to what the
injured player misses from the sidelines.
Footballers are assets and deserve to be
protected on the field.
Nyaniso FunanI, Fort Beaufort
Downs and Chiefs
must step up
I am proud to have witnessed Orlando
Pirates doing SA proud all these years in
CAF tournaments and stiU going strong.
My only concern is: why aren’t the other
big clubs in SA, namely Sundowns and
Chiefs, not putting in the same effort?
Player and financial resources cannot be
an excuse. We need to keep our country’s
flag flying as high as possible as a joint
effort from all clubs who have the means
to do so.
BonganI Nameka
A clear vision needed
Vision 2022 is only going to be possible
if we take care of the current fantastic
U-17s, who are phenomenal. They may
have finished bottom of their group, but
the main thing is they’ve done better than
their senior counterparts by qualifying for
a World Cup. It’s hard to imagine where
these boys wiU be in 2022, but if the bulk
remain together, they’ll definitely make us
proud for years to come.
Tshepo Mashoeshoe
Zongo is special
Zongo has always been a player to
watch. I’m a huge fan of SA football and
I feel good watching games where players
play to entertain the crowd. I don’t
think this equates to showboating. It’s
all about showing one’s true potential,
skills and marketing your talent. People
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78 KICK-YF DECEMBER 2015
visit www.kickoff.com
should stop criticising good things
because some of us love it.
Sackynho, Namibia, Nkurenkuru
Lightning never
strikes twice
There was no way Pirates could’ve beaten
us again in such a short space of time.
This is our chance to reclaim the glory
sorely missed since Baxter’s departure.
Congratulations to Steve Komphela and
the boys. Let’s bring the Cup home!
Letladi wa Ga-Mphahlele, Maralaleng
LOOKALIKES
Bayern Munich’s Xabi Alonso enter-
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Jason Bateman does the same on the
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BEAT THE PLAYER
1 . Who was red-carded for the bad
tackle on Sifiso Myeni which saw
him stretchered off the field in the
match between Orlando Pirates
and BidvestWits?
2. In his 1 1 games in the MLS this
season, how many goals has Didier
Drogba scored?
3. Who wears jersey number 1 0 at
Mamelodi Sundowns?
4. Who said these words:
"Cristiano Ronaldo might train a
lot but Messi, like Ronaldinho, is a
genius naturally."
5. Which former Bafana Bafana
coach is coaching Maritzburg
United?
6. Luis Suarez scored his first
hat-trick this season against which
team in La Liga?
7. Who are the main sponsors of
Mpumalanga Black Aces?
8. 1 366 games, 1 284 goals
and 3 World Cups: who is this
Brazilian?
9. Former Polokwane City coach
Kosta Papic is originally from
which country?
1 0. Who is Chelsea's former team
doctor who was banned from
training and matches by Jose
Mourinho at the beginning of the
season?
ANDREW FRANCIS
AGE: 18
FROM: Dibeng
TEAM: Orlando Pirates
XOLANI MKHONDWANE
AGE: 19
FROM: Nelspruit
TEAM: Orlando Pirates
ANDILE FIKIZOLO
AGE: 21 / POSITION: Midfield
TEAM: Golden Arrows (on loan
from SuperSport)
1. Thulani Hlatshwayo
1. Thulani Hlatshwayo
1. Thulani Hlatshwayo
(correct)
(correct)
(correct)
2. 4 goals
2. 2 goals
2. 7 goals
(incorrect)
(incorrect)
(incorrect- it was 11)
3. Teko Modise
3. Teko Modise
3. Teko Modise
(correct)
(correct)
(correct)
4. YayaToure
4. Alexis Sanchez
4. Steven Gerrard
(correct)
(incorrect)
(incorrect)
5. Clive Barker
5. Clive Barker
5. Clive Barker
(correct)
(correct)
(correct)
6. Eibar
6. Las Palmas
6. CeltaVigo
(correct)
(incorrect)
(incorrect)
7. Gilbert
7. ISPSHanda
7. Umbro
(incorrect)
(correct)
(incorrect)
8. Pele
8. Pele
8. Pele
(correct)
(correct)
(correct)
9. Serbia
9. Serbia
9. Not sure
(correct)
(correct)
(incorrect)
10. Not sure
10. EvaCarneiro
10. Eva Carneiro
(incorrect)
(correct)
(correct)
TOTAL: 7/10
TOTAL: 7/10
TOTAL: 5/10
Two readers take on a PSL star in a quiz. You can also take part by sending a hi-res photo with your full
name, age, phone number and location to forum@kickoff.com, with the subject line 'Beat the Player'.
news on your phone: kickoff.com/mobile
DECEMBER 2015 KICK'YF 79
@ LAUGH OUT LOUD
Tough times for
Mourinho!
It's been a tough season for defending
champions Chelsea ... so much so that
their manager Jose Mourinho was
spotted seeking divine intervention.
Gary Neville, is
thatyou?
Now we know what former Manches-
ter United right-back Gary Neville does
for a living when he is not working as
a pundit for Sky Sports!
Been getting a lot of hate cuz I said Kolarav is best RB
in the league. People crying saying *he“s a left back
thick ^ Well I have uploaded a pic of City's line up
and you can quite cEearly see he's on the right side of
the back 4! 1 won't believe il until i see it on sky
sportsV Well, here it is. Think before you speak ..
Matthew "The Special Fan" Foster!
This fan deserves an award! Matthew Foster was very confused about how teams line
upon the field (right and left) while trying to justify which players were playing for
Manchester City.
Tomml» Hoben # foMisw
So a ju$t tned to break imlo a txKj^ peopla conitomed htm
ho ran. inppad on the ctitb. hesodbutted my car and knocked
rwnssEfoid
T ■ : " . I : .
+1 y *53.^
9 Tommie Kobsn ^
' = -imicfiotiinM -
Crmma^ thesw dsys just s aiflnl vtbm Pwy U5«d te be
■ i&PM - 1 :-nt 5
•s tilt * !£.,
Tommie Koben ^ FoCle^w
The guy c lwvty had some bnck head ihaugN cooso ha s SUD
managed to dent my cer ^
1 MOvMtS
+1 t1 1ST * 1 ■
The world's dumbest criminal?
Watford defenderTommie Hoban was almost robbed, but luckily the person who tried
to rob him managed to knock himself out while fleeing the scene! Hoban tweeted the
whole incident on social media.
Ramos gets spotted
A shopper at a store called Mercadona
in Tenerife, Spain, spotted a security
guard who looked exactly like Real
Madrid defender Sergio Ramos.
Twitter went crazy for hours until
Ramos replied,"! want to officially
deny that I have been signed by
Mercadona," he said.
LAUGH WITH PROFF
CONTACT PROFF To get in touch with Proff, check out his blog - diskioff.blogspot.
com - or catch him on www.kickoff.com/forum.
Rules to protect Pirates
Safa have released new
rules to protect Orlando
Pirates from relegation.
1 . Pirates will be allowed to field
1 3 players during home games
and 15 during away games.
2. Ifthey win two consecu-
tive corner kicks, they will be
awarded a penalty.
3. Any attempt on goal will
be treated as a goal, including
shots off target.
4. If a Pirates player is fouled it's
a straight penalty, regardless of
the position.
5. They will be allowed to make
13 substitutions.
6. They will be awarded 6
points for every match won, 4
points for a draw and 2 points
for a loss.
7. They will be allowed to field
two goalkeepers at the same
time.
8. Any attempt to tackle or mark
Kermit Erasmus will result in a
penalty.
9. EricTinkler will be allowed
to instruct players from inside
the pitch.
Komphela opens case
against Tinkler
Kaizer Chiefs lodged a complaint after Orlando Pirates defeated them
3-1 in the Premiership. It is said that Steve Komphela opened a case
against EricTinkler regarding why Pirates brought their CAP form to
a PSL fixture. Komphela was quoted saying, "How dare Pirates play
like that? We are not Al Ahly or AC Leopards."The matter is being
investigated and we will keep you updated.
Soccer star to be a Springbok
A soccer star became a rugby player overnight at FNB Stadium dur-
ing the Telkom Knockout semi-final clash between Orlando Pirates
and Kaizer Chiefs when Bucs player Siyabonga Sangweni nearly
converted his penalty over the crossbar. Heyneke Meyer is seriously
considering replacing Handre Pollard with Sangweni, judging by
the potential he showed from the penalty spot.
Keag&n Dolly
Hi * iM * ili ^ i *.
Ihr ^
Did You Know?
Keagan Dolly is a South African
football player who plays for Man-
chester City in the Barclays Premier
League, according to Wikipedia?
80 KlCWilf DECEMBER 2015
visit www.kickoff.com
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PICKYOUR SIDE CAREFULLY
r w
■ H You read about fist-fights among
B H players at training -it happens i
a little more than the media reports. I
YOU don’t always like all
your teammates. That’s the
truth. There are players you
get on with and there are
those you don’t. There’s no
rule that says you must like
the guys you work with.
In every squad you wiU
find three groups of play-
ers. There’s a group that
has been together for a few
years: they are used to each
other, they know each other
well, they are comfortable
at the club, have long-term
contracts and know aU
the ins and outs of what
happens behind the scenes -
they are the A-team.
Then you have the new
guys, the guys on the fringe,
new to the club, new to the
surroundings, trying to get
in the team, trying hard
to please everyone - col-
lectively this group is the
B-team. The A-team are
stiU deciding if they like you,
if they want you in their
group, if they want you in
their world.
There is another group,
sometimes a very small
group of players: these are
the guys who work between
the A-team and the B-team
- they are like glue. They
are neutral, not in either
camp, often a player who
has been at the club for a
short time, not a new player
but not experienced enough
to be in the A-team - they
are on the fringe and desper-
ate to find a group that wiU
accept them, so they work
both camps.
But what happens when
you’re not playing regularly,
the coach is not picking you.
you’re feeling left out and you
are looking for reasons? You
start to blame other people,
and this is where infighting can
destroy the team’s harmony.
You start off by getting the
guys in your camp on your
side, you get them to agree that
you should be playing, you get
them to agree that the coach is
picking his favourite players in-
stead of the best players - and
you decide to do something
about it.
Supporters don’t watch every
training session, so it’s hard
to imagine this, but if I’m not
happy with a certain player
in the squad - maybe he’s
getting picked ahead of me,
maybe he’s not my favourite
person or I think he has a big
head - 1 can make it very hard
for him in training. He doesn’t
know how I feel about it. I’m
almost in disguise, so instead
of passing the ball where he
wants it, I put it a little behind
him, or I hit it a little harder
than I should - just enough
so that it’s not obvious, but
enough so that he doesn’t look
good. I’m also first to give him
encouragement, in front of the
coach I shout at him “unlucky
boy, keep your head up, don’t
worry, your touch will come
back”- just a small reminder
to the coach that he is strug-
gling with his touch.
There are some players who
don’t use the disguise like
me - they pick the moment
to hammer you in a tackle.
They will hit you harder
than any opponent and you
know that you are a target.
Others will just avoid you
at all costs. They look up
and see you are in a good
position, but they turn and
pass backwards to their
mate, who turns away from
you too and goes the other
way. You are now playing
against your own team-
mates.
Sometimes it boils over,
you can’t contain your
feelings and it explodes on
the training pitch. You read
about fist-fights among
players at training . . . well,
let me teU you, it happens a
little more than the media
reports. Next time you read
about it, imagine it’s just
the A-team and the B-team
flexing their muscles! M
82 KICK-YF DECEMBER 2015
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